Hidden Meanings
by Drakkina
Summary: Catherine is faced with an illness and does not know how it will affect Trowa or anyone else. Leaves to sort things out. Though it unwillingly turns into a week long affair, with the man she truly admires leading the way. AU C&T no relation
1. Chapter 1: Problems Arrise

Chapter 1  
  
Problems arrise  
  
(( I do not own Gundam wing and am not trying to steal it this is something I did in my free time and I hope you enjoy it. This is an AU where Catherine and Trowa are not related in fact this story deals with their relationship so keep that in mind. Enjoy flames are welcome I guess))  
  
Catherine looked at the lights and winced as her vision blurred. 'Not tonight... of all nights it had to be this one.' She did a flip and landed kneeling. 'Better get this done before I totally lose it.' She stood up slowly, feeling a little dizzy from the flip. Tossing a few daggers at the target she heard the crowd cheer as they flew from her hand like arrows and embedded themselves into the target.  
  
Trowa watched her and could tell something was wrong. She had been acting odd ever since the end of the war. Though she would not tell him what was wrong he could tell. 'Maybe she has finally cracked, she has been at this a lot longer then I have.' He watched the daggers come flying at his head knowing that the thrower would never actually aim at him. 'She is very clever, she misses on purpose, just to please the crowd.' He could feel that impact the daggers had on the target he was tied to.  
  
Catherine bowed as the crowd cheered again and looked over to Trowa, who was watching her. Smiling she turned back to the center of the ring and could hear people leaving the tent. 'I think I am getting too old for this.' Looking around she saw the other members of the circus and sighed. It was always so quiet after the performances so peaceful. Catherine looked over at Trowa and shook her head. 'It was always silent here before he came. After every performance he always has a group of females trying to grab his attention. You think he would tell them to stop.' She caught herself from saying it out loud and shook her head, 'why am I thinking that?' Grabbing the handle of her door she opened it and went inside to change out of her costume. 'Why is it all acting up now of all times? Why?' She sat down and sipped on the tea she always made before her performances. It helped to calm her nerves and the thrill of knife throwing.  
  
Trowa looked at the group of girls that had gathered around him, ignoring his every move to get away from them. 'They are like lions, waiting for the time to pounce on their prey. Just wish the prey were some other guy and not I.' He pushed them aside and watched them finally leave. Looking at the target he noticed where one of the daggers had hit. Placing his hand on it he pulled it out and looked at it. 'Cathy must be having a bad night, she never gets this close to hitting me. Even if she can help it.' He tossed it aside and went to feed the lions. Trowa went into the cage and scratched the neck of one of them and listened to it "purr" with pleasure. He set down their meals and watched them eat. "Maybe you can tell me what is bugging Cathy." He knew he would not get an answer from them, they just calmed his nerves to be around them. Leaving the cage behind he went to Catherine's trailer and knocked on the door.  
  
"The door is open." She said and put her T-shirt on and sat down. The door creaked and she looked up seeing Trowa come in. Blushing she grabbed her blanket and bundled up from the cold. "What brings you here stranger?" She asked smiling at him somewhat.  
  
Trowa sat down across from her looking at her for a moment and trying hard to read her emotions. "Catherine.... What is wrong with you?" He asked his tone rather emotionless despite his concern. Being the soldier he always was he hated people knowing his weaknesses, they would give the enemy too much in sight into his life. "Your aim was off tonight at the performance. I can tell when you are not well. Everyone can." He said leaning back and crossing his arms over his chest.  
  
Catherine looked at him and the image blurred, blinking she looked away and tried to smile at him. "Don't be ridiculous, I'm fine... just some flashing from a camera blinded me for a moment is all." She rubbed her arm with the palm of her hand and smiled again. "Relax I am perfectly fine." Standing up she patted him on the shoulder. "Besides I have been around the man with the hidden mask far too long, maybe some of him rubbed off onto me." She winked  
  
Trowa looked up at her as she stood before him and smirked to himself. "You don't fool anyone." He stated smiled at her. "Not even yourself, I'll leave you to your thoughts." Trowa left and closed the door behind him. 'I wonder what she is hiding from me...' leaving the circus he went to his own trailer and thought about it.  
  
Catherine collapsed onto her bed and heaved a big sigh. Looking at her hands she closed her eyes and fell back onto her pillows. "How could I tell him? I want to so bad but I can't. He would never accept me if he knew." She put a pillow over her face and cried into it. 'I have to leave. I have to leave before I get too attached to anyone.'  
  
The next morning...  
  
Catherine swallowed up her pride and went to the main office. "Manager... I need to talk to you. It's about my contract." She waited for his reply and sighed. 'When did it come down to this? When did I start giving things up just because I am different?' The minute she thought that she knew the answer. 'Since it became dangerous for me to be around the ones I love. I have to get away before something terrible happens to them.' She smiled at the manager as he entered the room and sat down.  
  
"So what did you want to talk about Cathy?" He sat down and motioned for her to sit down as well.  
  
Catherine shook her head. "It is about my contract. I want to put it on hold, until I get everything settled down. My throwing is a bit off and I don't want to damage anyone when I try and do my stunt." She looked at him with sorrow, knowing fully well that this would break his heart.  
  
He smiled at her knowing what she meant. "It is ok Cathy everyone has their off days. In fact I think the whole circus could use some off time." Standing up he patted her softly on the shoulder. "Make sure to get plenty of rest, I plan to stop this vacation in two weeks time." The manager smiled at her and laughed. "You are like the daughter I never had." With that he left her in his office so he could tell everyone about the vacation he had just planned.  
  
Catherine sighed. 'Well maybe I can sort things out by then.' She left the circus to find a temporary apartment to get away from it all. Smiling she paid her pill and went up to her apartment. 'No more trying to throw knives, no more high-wire acts.' She frowned with a little sadness. "I will miss not being cheered at." Her vision blurred again and she closed her eyes willing it to return to normal. Then opening her eyes she looked at the door to her room and gasped. "What are you doing here? Did you follow me?" She asked and stood up stomping towards the entrance. "You know if you plan on stalking someone you should tell them first, I could have called the police." She sat down in a chair and put her purse on the table sorting through the stuff. "Manager gave us two weeks off, what are you doing wasting it on hanging out with me?" With that said she pulled out her compact and applied her make up to her face to hide her nerves.  
  
Trowa smiled at her. "I am relaxing what do you expect. I rented out the apartment next to you." He pointed across the hall to the room that was opened. "Thought I would keep an eye on the star of the show, since she is acting so odd lately." He saw the vacant look in her eyes and it kind of scared him. "Hello Catherine, you ok?" He asked his face mere inches away from hers.  
  
Catherine closed her eyes as her vision disappeared again. "I am fine you are over reacting, as always. Just give me my space." She opened them again and saw his face so close to hers, it made her jump backwards. "Don't do that ever again." She breathed deeply and tried to catch her breath. 'His face was so close to mine... only a breaths length away.' She blushed at her own thoughts and tried not to think of how close their lips were.  
  
Trowa blinked confused for a moment but then backed away. "See you later then and try to rest up." He closed the door behind him still trying to figure out why she was acting so odd. 'Maybe she just needs some alone time.' He left the building and went out to do some shopping for his food and clothing. 'I just hope she is ok.'

Catherine sighed as he left and put her hands to her face trying to cover her weeping. 'The fact is Trowa I am going blind, and I don't know how to stop it.'


	2. Chapter 2: Mistaken Bliss

Chapter 2 Mistaken Bliss  
  
((Again I do not own gundam wing)))  
  
Catherine woke up the next morning trying to rid her of the guilt she was feeling for asking for time off. 'I just hope that this illness will go away.' Grabbing some clothes she went to take a shower and get ready for the day. Looking up at the showerhead she closed her eyes letting the luke warm water envelop her face and wash away her fears. The water always seemed to calm her even though she would feel the fears taking over her after she stepped out. Sighing she massaged the shampoo into her scalp and let the water rinse it out. "Maybe some window shopping will cheer me up, mother always took me shopping with her when I was a child." She blinked away the bad memories of when her family was brutality taken away from her at such a young age. Humming to herself was her way of cooping with the problems, and she had been doing a lot of humming. 'My sight has returned for now, maybe it was a temporary thing, maybe I was mistaken to think that it would last.' She smiled at her own thoughts feeling like the world had been taken off her shoulders. Cathy grabbed one of her daggers and hid it inside her purse for safekeeping. 'You can never be too careful, even though the gundams gave us peace, it may break at any moment. Peace will only last as long as people are willing it to.' With that thought in mind she left her apartment and locked her door behind her, tossing her keys into her purse.  
  
Trowa woke up with his arm over his eyes and heaved a sigh of boredom. He was bored with just sitting around and doing nothing. At least at the circus he had something to do, feed the lions, help Catherine practice, anything but this utter boredom. Standing up proved to be out of the question since he had just woken up. He had grown used to Catherine knocking loudly on his door, yelling at him to wake up, that otherwise the lions would go hungry. Trowa was the only one with enough guts to feed them. The lion tamers before him would almost get killed and then they would run off. He had fed them enough for a week, and would go back within a week's time to give them the rest of it. They depended on him and he respected them, though they really did not care. They just wanted their food and they would leave people alone. Trowa got up finally when he heard Catherine's door open and close. 'What no wake up call?' He thought in his head and smirked, somewhat missing the yelling he would get for sleeping in late. 'I'm not used to this vacation thing.' With that he threw his blanket aside and stretched, his fingertips almost touching the ceiling. "I guess I have nothing better to do then go shopping." He pulled some pants out of his suitcase and a button up shirt, which he had never worn because he rarely wore anything besides his clown costume. He got dressed and left his apartment deciding to get some soap and shampoo first since his room was out. 'Wonder where Catherine went?' The minute he thought of it he dismissed it from his mind. 'Am I actually starting to care for her more?' He left the building trying to sort things out.  
  
Catherine smelled the sweet scents the minute she went into the store and smiled to herself. Candle stores always had a good feeling to them that she loved. She picked up a candle of hunter wood and inhaled the scent wincing a little at the bitter smell. Setting that one aside she picked up a green one and smelled it. The smell of pines came out and she smiled. 'Wonder what that one reminds me of?' She smirked as she read one called forget-me-not. Picking it up she walked over to the store counter and purchased the two candles along with some lotions. She left the store and looked at the things she had bought. Two candles, one bottle of lotion, and a new shirt. 'I have done a very good damage to my banking account.' She turned and looked to see if there were any other stores to go through. The wind blew and she brushed her hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. 'Despite the fact that this is a city, it is pretty quiet.' Making sure that her purse was securely on her shoulder she turned to go and get something to eat for lunch. She kept her eyes downcast, watching where she was going. Without realizing it she bumped into some one and winced as she felt her shoulder dig into something sharp. "I'm sorry, I was trying to make sure that I did not trip." She was glad she had not gotten the class candles, since her bags had fallen onto the ground and had been scattered. Looking up she shivered as she realized who it was. "Like I told you before, if you are going to stalk someone tell them before so they can be careful not to run into you." She put her finger on Trowa's chest accusingly, jabbing him with it. "Next time warn me." She kneeled down to pick up her bags. Everything went black and she froze. 'Not now, not in front of him.' She slowly slid her hand over the ground and found one of her bags and bit her lip hoping that he would not notice her behavior. 'Of all times' She could feel her ears turning red and was glad that her hair had become dislodged from behind her ears, which was in turn covering them. Her hand touched something warm and she jerked it back and could hear him chuckle.  
  
"You did need a vacation didn't you." Trowa had leaned down and picked up the remaining bags but kept watching her trying to read her moves. "Relax, it was only my hand." 'Why is she acting like this?' He handed her the bags and helped her stand up, feeling that she needed his help.  
  
Catherine slowly stood up and held the bags as she waited for her eyesight to return. "Thanks Trowa." She smiled at him as everything began to come back into view. "What would I do with out you?" Patting him softly on the shoulder, she turned away and started to walk slowly towards her apartment building.  
  
Trowa followed her. "Catherine I can tell something is bothering you. What is it? Just tell me before I find out on my own." He slowed down to her pace and shifted his bags to one shoulder.  
  
Catherine groaned, "I am fine just leave me alone and stop following me." She let her eyesight come back and blinked trying to get used to it then started to run. "Vacation means solitude. Now go back to your room and enjoy the rest of the two weeks." Turning a corner she went into an ally and leaned against the wall hiding in shadow. Trowa ran by trying to catch up with her not realizing that she had ducked into an alley.  
  
"Catherine wait up!" He yelled after her wishing he had just shut up for once.  
  
Catherine sighed as she watched him run by and laughed. 'Me of all people, I was able to loose a gundam pilot.' She smirked. 'He will never be able to live this one down.' Looking around she tried to figure out where she was and how to get out. "I can't go out that way because he will see me." She backed away from the entrance and bumped into something hard. 'That hurt.' She rubbed the back of her leg and pulled it away, it had come away from her leg feeling somewhat sticky and wet. "Great, I'm bleeding." She pulled her purse to her front and dug through it until she got to her tissues.  
  
"What a pity...such a waste." A voice said from down the alley.  
  
Catherine turned around, thinking better then to walk down the alley but she had lost her sight again and could not tell which way was which. Frantically she dug into her purse for he dagger and sighed softly with relieve that she still had it. "Ok Buster, I'm warning you. I am armed and never miss my mark." She readied her hand. 'Unless I am blind of course.' She shook her head trying to get rid of the feeling of dread in her head. 'Come on think positive.' She extended her hand to one side, her bloody one clutched to her with the dagger in its clutches. Her fingers ran across the bricks and over the grim of the walls.  
  
"Oh really, should I be worried? You can't even see in here let alone throw a dagger at a moving target. I would not give you that much credit. Besides I am trying to help you." The voice sounded closer then it was before.  
  
Catherine jumped away from the voice, every hair on the back of her neck rising in fear of what was going to happen. "What would a man in a dark alley have that could help me?" She said her voice shaky from fear.  
  
"Plenty of things, I could stop the bleeding on your leg for one thing." He sounded somewhat amused at her actions and laughed a little. "It is a worse cut then you think."  
  
Catherine wished she could see, her eyesight had never went out this long which led her to believe that this time it might have gone for good. 'If I call for help then he will attack for sure. But if I don't then I will have to try and find my way out of here only by touch.' She hated both choices. Finally she decided on what she would do and she took a big breath reading herself to scream hoping that someone would hear her.  
  
"That would not be a wise choice." She felt a cold hand clamp down on her mouth. "We would not want a hero coming in now would we."  
  
Catherine's eyes widened but she still could not see and knew for certain that it was not going to come back. "Please just let me go. You can have anything, just let me go." She breathed deeply trying to calm down. Her hand still held the small dagger in it.  
  
The man smiled. She could feel his breath next to her ear. "Well where would the fun be in that?" He asked and with his free hand grabbed at the dagger but cursed as the blade cut into him. Momentarily his grip loosened and she threw herself forward dropping everything besides her purse, which was on her shoulder and the knife. "You little wench."  
  
Catherine lunged forward hitting the wall with her arms. She then headed towards the noises made by the many people. 'Please let someone help me.' She felt a sharp pain hit the back of her head and she lost all control of her body. She leaned forward loosing her balance and fell face first. Then everything blacked out, not just her sight.  
  
Trowa had turned around giving up on following Catherine since she would not tell him what was wrong. 'She has been so secretive since the end of the war.' He shook his head and yawned from sleeping in. 'Guess too much sleep is a bad thing.' He ran a hand through his hair and rubbed the back of his neck. 'I know every war move ever made but when it comes to girls.... I am clueless.' He pulled some money out and bought an apple from a stand. He bit into the fruit as he looked ahead of him and saw a single female hand laying face up on the sidewalk. It's arm lead into an alley, the same one he had just run by. 'Happens all the time, some woman gets lured into an alley then mugged.' Something about the hand looked familiar to him yet he could not place it. Trowa placed his stuff on the ground beside the alley and went inside finding the woman curled up protectively in a ball. He saw the bruises and cuts from the assault that had happened. "Don't worry it will be ok." He kneeled down beside the woman and put his hand on her shoulder brushing away her curls to see her face. It was also cut up and wounded. His hand stilled as they rested on an earring worn on her left ear. It was star shaped and kind of big despite that it was an earring. Suddenly his heart leaped into his throat as he turned the woman's face and realized whom it was. His eyes traveled down her body and back up at her again. "Catherine... what have they done to you?" He put his fingers to the side of her throat and checked to see if she had a pulse. 'She's still breathing but faintly. I have to get her somewhere.' He picked her up and noticed that her purse had been ripped open everything was dumped out. Thankfully she never carried anything of value with her that would get stolen. 'I can't afford putting her in the hospital and she would hate to go back to the circus. Guess I have no choice.' Picking up the remains of her purse and found her dagger where her body had been. Trowa put her belongings in his bag and carried her out of the alley. "You'll be alright Cathy...." He said in a whisper, knowing that if she were awake she would not let herself be carried. Trowa looked at her face, her lips were bleeding and he could feel the bum on the back of her head. 'I just hope that bump is not too serious.' He started to run towards their apartment building with her in his arms. 


	3. Chapter 3: Broken Images

Chapter 3: Broken Images  
  
Trowa went into his room and looked through some of his supplies, knowing he would not find anything to help her. 'Why didn't I bring the first aid kit?' He looked at Catherine on the bed and could tell her state of being was getting worse. 'Who do I know that is willing to help us that has enough money to give her some medical attention. "Quatre..." He dug through his bags trying to find his number. 'Where did I put that?' He pulled the paper out and grabbed his phone. He dialed the number quickly and waited for the receiver to be picked up.  
  
"Quatre Winner's office." The woman replied, she was obviously paying little attention to the caller.  
  
"Is Mr. Winner in? This is his friend Trowa Barton." He asked and cast a glance around his room trying to see if he was forgetting anything.  
  
"One moment please..." The woman trailed off and clicked a button. "Mr. Winner there is a Trowa Barton on the phone wishing to speak to you." There was a long pause and then a male voice answered as the receptionist hung up her line.  
  
"Hello this is Quatre Winner." The voice was deeper then it had been three years ago and Trowa hardly recognized it. "Trowa is that you?" He asked and it remained silent.  
  
"Yeah it's me, listen I need you help. Catherine, a friend of mine, she was attacked and I was hoping that you could help us out. I don't know of any places that I could afford to put her in and her wounds are really bad." He listened to his friend's voice. "So are you going to help me?" He heard a chuckle on the other end of the line.  
  
"Trowa Barton you think I would let one of my friend's friends suffer. I will send a driver to pick you up with in the hour. Just give me the address." Quatre readied himself for the address.  
  
Trowa smiled. "Ok then this is were we are staying." He gave him the address and readied his supplies. "I'll see you when we get there, nice talking to you again."  
  
Quatre put his pen and paper down. "And it was good talking to you again to. See you later. Goodbye." They hung up and Quatre sent a vehicle to pick them up.  
  
Trowa put the phone down and went to Catherine's room to gather her stuff. Her bag was mostly backed and he just placed the other things in it. 'When she wakes up she is going to kill me.' Trowa picked up her bag and locked her room behind him then went to his own room. His bag was rather small considering he did not have that much anyway. He looked at Catherine and then at the bags deciding he should put his smaller one into hers that way he would have more room to carry her.  
  
Rashid parked the car outside the apartment building and got out locking the door behind him. He went up the stairs and to the floor that Trowa had told them they were on and met with a very overwhelmed Trowa. "Quatre sent me to help. Here I'll carry the bags." He took them from Trowa and went to the elevator to take them down.  
  
Trowa grabbed Catherine in his arms and wished he had grabbed something to wrap her in. 'I just hope this does not catch too many people.' He followed Rashid to the elevators. "Thanks again for helping us I had no clue what to do.' He hated the fact that he needed help taking care of her. He looked down at Catherine and put a hand to her cheek. "She was beat up pretty badly don't you think. And as far as I can tell she was not mugged. I wonder what they wanted." Trowa shook his head trying to get rid of his thoughts.  
  
Rashid looked at Catherine and then at him. "You don't want to know what I think." He stated silently and the elevator arrived. The rest of the time they were both silent, feeling that if they said anything about it something about what they said just might have happened.  
  
.....  
  
Trowa got out of the car and placed Catherine on a stretcher that was awaiting her when they arrived. He looked at the nurse. "Take care of her for me would you?" He asked and gently squeezed Catherine's hand. 'Catherine be ok please.' Trowa stood there as she was rushed away, he looked down at his hands and realized they were shaking. 'Why are my hands shaking so much?' He jumped a little as he felt someone clamp a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"She is going to be fine Trowa." The voice was Quatre's and he tried to reassure his friend. "The staff here will not let anything else bad happen to her. Trust them." He turned Trowa towards his home. "Catherine and you can stay here while she recoups." They went inside and he dismissed himself from Trowa for a moment. Quatre called the medical staff. "Call me the moment something happens regarding Ms. Bloom."  
  
"Right sir." The phone then was hung up and Quatre led Trowa inside into the sitting room.  
  
"Now tell me what happened, exactly." He sipped on his tea and listened intently.  
  
Trowa sighed and relayed to him everything that had happened. "Could you also check something else out for me? She has been acting odd for quiet some time could you check her...sight?" He looked embarrassed at this. "Also Rashid and I are not sure but she was not mugged, she was attacked and we don't know why. Possibly..." He let Quatre fill in the gap.  
  
Quatre sat there for a moment his gaze frozen on the wall. "You mean you think she was," He asked but Trowa only nodded and said nothing. "Very well then, but if that is so then I don't know how she would react to knowing it." He stood up. "Your room is up the stairs and the second on the right. I am going to go see if I can figure out the problem." He left Trowa to his thoughts.  
  
Trowa looked at his hands. 'If that really did happen then...how would she take it.' He held his head in his hands trying to think straight. 'Who am I kidding I can't sleep knowing she is in ICU.' He leaned back against the chair trying to get the kinks out of his back from stress. Finally he made up his mind and decided to visit her.  
  
Quatre visited the room for a moment and then left to his room to think on some matters. 'I hope she gets better for Trowa's sake.' He entered his room and went to bed wondering why she was attacked.  
  
Trowa finally found Catherine's room and entered it silently he could hear the sound of the machines that kept her from slipping off into death and hated the noise. 'I hope you don't kill me when you wake up.' He sat down beside the bed and watched her breath, knowing she was ok calmed him somewhat.  
  
Catherine opened her eyes and could tell her loss of sight had stayed with her. 'Darn it why did this happen to me.' Her head was pounding from the injury she had gotten and for some odd reason she felt like her body was all bruised up. Gently she put a hand to her head and heard someone gasp, which startled her. "Who's there? Answer me!" She said her voice frantic after she noticed that the surface she was on was not the hard ground but a soft bed. "Who are you? What do you want from me?" She looked around franticly.  
  
Trowa jumped up and grabbed her on both sides. "Calm down Catherine, it's me Trowa." He gently rubbed her shoulders, trying to get her to calm down. "Relax you're safe. If you don't calm down all the stitches you received will just reopen and they will have to close them up again. You have to calm down, for both of us." He looked into her eyes and noticed she was not looking at him at all, in fact her eyes were as vacant as doll's eyes. "You can't see me can you?" He asked his voice a low whisper.  
  
Catherine's heart was calming down and she shook her head, though it hurt. "I...I have," She could not finish the sentences as she ran her hands down her own arms and could feel the wounds that had been inflicted on her while she had lay there on the ground. Tears welded up in her eyes and she closed them as she reached her own face and could feel the long gut on her left cheek. "What has happened...to me?" She looks without vision at the source of Trowa's voice.  
  
Trowa felt like he was trying to comfort a child. "Who did this to you?" He asked but knew she would not be able to answer. He tightened his grip on her shoulders. "Who?" He asked in a whisper trying to mask his annoyance.  
  
Catherine moved her face away from his and pushed him away. "Leave me alone." She said in a low mumble and pushed his hands away. She lay back down and turned her face to where she had her scared cheek against the cool surface. 'My entire body is sore.' She covered her face up with the blanket and tried to ignore the fact that he was still in the room. She could hear his breathing, along with the sound of the machines. "Where am I?" She asked knowing he knew why.  
  
Trowa sat back down wondering how he would explain this. Her vacant eyes had caught him off guard, the ones he always so emotion in seemed so blank. "I brought you over to Quatre's, he has a medical staff available that was able to treat your wounds so quickly. I know how you hate hospitals." He let his sentence die there and leaned back in his chair.  
  
Catherine closed her eyes trying to get back to sleep though her head was pounding. "Trowa..." She silently said and let the word drag out of her mouth. "Thank you for caring." She then fell to sleep to the sound of the sounds of her room.  
  
Trowa watched her sleep feeling relieved that she was up to talking and could at least recognize his voice. Her eyes troubled him though. 'That is probably what she was trying to hide and why she had almost hit me with her daggers those times at the circus.' He reached over, knowing she was asleep, and gently patted her hand trying to reassure himself that she was there, breathing and alive.  
  
Catherine kept her eyes closed and felt him pat her hand. 'He must think I am so weak. That I can't even take care of myself.' She snuggled closer to the pillow and pulled her hand away from his falling back to sleep. 'It's all falling apart...'  
  
Trowa smiled when she took her hand away, knowing she was awake when she did that. He leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes propping his feet up on the corner of her bed as he fell asleep in the chair 


	4. Chapter 4: Familiar Settings

Chapter 4: Familiar Settings  
  
Catherine moaned in her sleep feeling all the wounds on her body throbbed with pain. The painkiller she was receiving was not helping at all. 'He must think I am fragile and weak now.' She stifled her thoughts by burying her face deeper in the pillow. 'What is with me? I never acted like this before.' She tried to look around the room again but could still see nothing and then gave up. 'How am I supposed to live like this. I am going to have to get a dog to help me around and I can't even afford to feed myself sometimes.'  
  
Trowa left Catherine's room and talked to the nurse on staff. "So is she blind?" He asked knowing the answer already.  
  
The nurse looked at him sadly. "Yes I am afraid so, and from the way they responded to light it has been slowly happening. This did not just happen from the mugging, it was slowly building up." The nurse looked at the papers she had in front of her. "Was there anything else you wanted to know?" She looked at him with her soft eyes trying to help him in anyway possible.  
  
Trowa looked at Catherine's room and then at the nurse. "Yeah there was one more thing. We thought she was mugged, but it appears nothing was taken. Quatre and I began to think that.... Since she was not mugged that maybe..." He could not bring himself to say the word because saying it might give it life.  
  
The nurse shook her head sadly. "I am afraid so. She was badly battered when you brought her in here and it seems that her entire body was bruised, not just her arms and legs. They did quiet a number on her and I am surprised she lasted this long." She placed the notepad on the table and went to console Trowa. "Don't worry though, I have full faith that she will pull through this with flying colors." She smiled at him then turned to leave.  
  
Trowa yawned and wished that she would get better. 'I miss you Catherine...' His eyes widened at the very thought wondering when he had grown to care for her so much. He let his hand rest on the surface of the glass window, then let it slowly slid down it. 'Since I realized she was there to miss...' He smiled at his thoughts knowing for once that he was thinking with out the mind of a solider and with the heart of someone that might actually... He heard a loud beep come from her room and started to look around trying to figure out what was going on.  
  
Catherine curled up into a ball and was trying to breathe her breath was short and labored. "I...can... can't breath..." She put her hands to her throat and tried to take a deep breath. The heart monitor was going crazy as her heart beat sped up trying to compete with the lack of air.  
  
Trowa ran into her room watching her and wishing he knew what to do. He put his hands on her sides trying to hold her, yet he was frantic looking around the place trying to find someone to help him. He looked at her and noticed she had stopped breathing and laid her back down. 'Ok you were told how to do his several years ago you can do this, it is just a simple procedure.' He pressed down on her chest. "1...2...3." He leaned down and put his lips to hers blowing air into her lungs. 'Why is I not working?' After the third try he felt her start coughing and smiled in relief. 'God that scared me to death.' He breathed heavily and sighed as the machines kicked in. Finally the beeping stopped and she relaxed in his arms her breathing became normal again. He sighed from relief that she was ok and laid her body down on the bed again, then covering her back up. "Don't do that again Cathy." He ran a hand through his hair and tried not to act nervous. His own heart facing at the very thought of what might have happened if he had not been there.  
  
Catherine looked to her side and saw nothing but darkness, and reached out trying to grab his hand. He grabbed her hand that was flailing out to the side with no known goal and she clasped it firmly. A small smile settling on her face. "Why are you wasting your vacation on me?" She asked looking off into space and imagining what the scene really looked like in her head. She had always loved the way his hair was like a mask hiding his face from everyone. His image was planted in her head and it would never change. "Thank you for staying beside me but you really should go get some rest. I am fine really." She started coughing a little and shook her head. "In fact, I order you to leave me alone and go to sleep." She stated and turned over onto her stomach, hugging her pillow to get comfortable.  
  
Trowa smiled at her and stood up. "Guess I can't fool you." He almost reached over and ruffled her hair but stopped his hand before he could. "You shall have your privacy again." He yawned as he left the room and saw Quatre outside smiling at him. "What are you so smug about?"  
  
Quatre shook his head laughing. "You, my friend, are whipped." He patted him on the shoulder. "Almost as much as Heero."  
  
Trowa grimaced at him then closed one eye. "If I remember right there was a certain blonde that you were taken with. What was her name again...? Dorothy?" He asked smugly. "By the way where is the little "angel"?" He used the term loosely considering everything she had done in the past to Zeches and everyone else. She had even tried to kill Quatre but in the end she did not have the heart to.  
  
Quatre immediately shut up. "If you must know she is... around." He smiled weakly and scratched the back of his head. "Currently she has decided to steal my car and demand I pay more attention to her then to the guards. You know how I am; I treat everyone the same. I have been neglecting her as of late because of all the treaties going on. I am trying to make sure there are no hidden threats of war." He shrugged his shoulders. "Sooner or later she will cool off and return home."  
  
Trowa laughed at him. "You are the whipped one my friend." He looked at Catherine's room. "Keep an eye on her for me would you? I need to get some rest." He then looked at his friend again and waited for a reply.  
  
"Sure just get some rest so both of you can relax later. I was going to have a get together. Like inviting all the pilots and the generals to visit, since I have not talked to Duo or Wufei in a long time. I think they have their hands full with Hilde and Sally Po, and not to mention the fact that the perfect solider finally decided to retire and stayed with Relena, the perfect pacifist. I would hate to see the arguments that go on in that household." He turned away from Trowa and sat outside Catherine's room. "Oh and one more thing. Dorothy's little fits last about a week so she should be back tomorrow afternoon, as domineering as ever, just to warn you." He stretched in his chair and grabbed his book he had been reading about space.  
  
Trowa left him and went to the room he was assigned feeling relieved that she was doing a lot better then before. He put his hand to his lips and lightly ran them on his bottom lip. 'Did I just do what I think I did? No it doesn't count.' "I must be tired." He changed into his pjs, making a note to take a shower in the morning. With that he collapsed on the bed and fell to sleep.  
  
Catherine smiled as he left and sighed. 'You wear too many masks, Trowa. Everyone thinks you are some tough guy, but I know you aren't. I could see it when I was able to look into your eyes. They hold a kind soul inside that is unsure of what the world would think if they found a soft solider that cared if a single person died. I know you Trowa.' She went to sleep with that thought in mind.  
  
The next morning...  
  
Catherine woke up feeling rested and sat up, using the headboard of her bed to lean against. Her sight had not returned so everything was still dark and foreboding, as it was the day before. 'I feel so defenseless without my sight." She tightened her grip on her blanket as she heard someone come in. "Who's there?" Her voice shook and cracked from sleeping and fear that "he" had followed her to Quatre's.  
  
The nurse looked at the woman in the bed and smiled even though it was wasted on unseeing eyes. "Only me, I brought you breakfast." She placed the tray on the bed right on Catherine's lap. "And to do this morning's checkup. You have had both Mr. Barton and Master Quatre worried sick over your condition." She chuckled at the look of sorrow on Catherine's face for causing them suffering. "Oh don't worry about that. It gives Master Quatre something else to worry about besides Ms Catalonia, and her fits of rage." She laughed a little.  
  
Catherine closed her eyes seeing no use in keeping them open. "What are you talking about?" She asked, her face curious wondering whom this Catalonia girl was.  
  
The nurse shook her head. "Ms Catalonia always leaves with Master Quatre decides to pay more attention to the treaties going on instead of her. He is quiet taken with her and knows she means well but he has to help maintain peace even if it ruffles her feathers a little bit. She was from a rich family, just like him, and is used to being pampered and getting attention when she wants it." She took her devices away from Catherine. "She will be back later on today unless she decided to come back early. Always the unpredictable one, at least mostly anyway."  
  
Catherine felt around her tray to find out what she was eating. 'Eggs and bacon... I think.' She then felt around and found the fork then started to dig in. "Thanks for everything I will be fine now." She tried to feed herself but the eggs just fell off the fork and onto the plate again.  
  
Trowa looked at the ceiling and sighed, wondering when everything would return back to normal. The thought of a shower soothed his mind and he decided he better get up before he was accused of sleeping in. He yawned and grabbed his pants and shirt then got in the shower and stood under the water letting it massage his back. 'If this did not happen suddenly then she must have known it would happen eventually. Which means this entire time she could have told me and decided not to.' He put some shampoo on his scalp and rubbed it in, making sure to cover every strand of hair. He rinsed it out and then repeated with the conditioner. After that he got out and towel dried his hair then got dressed. 'Time to visit her and find out what was going on before.' 


	5. Chapter 5: Revealed Thoughts

Chapter 5: Revealed Thoughts  
  
Catherine leaned back as the woman decided to help feed her. 'Just for today, I'll let myself be pampered just this once.' She opened her mouth to speak. "I am sorry, I hope I am not bothering you." Her voice was shaky a little.  
  
The nurse smiled. "Oh don't worry miss, I have nothing better to do and besides, we can talk like young girls and just gossip away. To pay me back for my help." She put the fork to Catherine's mouth waiting for her to open it. "Now open up, breakfast is the most important meal of the day." She turned her head as she felt the airflow change in the room. She nodded her head towards Trowa silently and patted Catherine's arm. "Looks like you have someone else here to help you. I will leave you two alone." She left the room and closed the door.  
  
Trowa looked at Catherine and smiled not caring if he showed emotion because she could not see him. "You seem to be doing better." He sat down in the chair and pulled it up to the bed. "Are you feeling any better?" Trowa placed his hands on top of hers and gently rubbed them.  
  
Catherine smiled in his direction and then took her hand away to grab at her plate. "I am perfectly fine, just trying to enjoy a meal." She found the fork and scoped up some eggs on it. "You try eating when you are blind." She grumbled as she missed again and silently counted to ten. "I am fine really." She tried to eat again and succeeded in getting the fork in her mouth, with out the eggs.  
  
Trowa chuckled and grabbed the fork from her hand. "Allow me." He scoped up some eggs and brought them to her mouth. 'What am I doing? Am I actually doing this? Am I actually fa...' He smiled as she opened her mouth and he put her food inside. Then she began to chew. "Don't tell the people at the circus this. If word got out that I was a softy then the girls would never leave me alone." He readied another fork full of food.  
  
Catherine groaned. "You're telling me, but I don't think I will be going back to the circus ever again." She shook her head as she felt the fork at the opening of her mouth. "Not right now, but I really think that you are going to be returning to the circus alone." She frowned and sighed closing her eyes.  
  
Trowa put the fork down. "Why did you do it? Why did you keep this a secret? We could have fixed it before it advanced to this stage. You don't have to hid it anymore, the nurse told me all about it. She said that your blindness was not sudden that you have been experiencing it for quiet sometime." He studied her face trying to see if she showed any hints of regret.  
  
Catherine turned away from him and bit her lip. "I just could not bring myself to tell you that this was happening to me. How am I supposed to tell someone that kind of news?" She closed her eyes and felt tears slide down her cheeks. "What am I supposed to say? 'Hi how are you, oh by the way I am going blind and need to quit.' I mean come on you think I would actually do that?" She turned back towards him her eyes vacant except for tears. She smiled weakly at him. "Trowa you know me better then that. I am as full of pride as you are." She leaned back against her bed and tilted her head up. "You will just have to go back with out me. You have talent that can not be spared. With out you the young girls will not come and hunt you down." She chuckled at her words.  
  
Trowa laughed at her words. "Why would I return there?" He asked his words cutting like daggers through the reality around them. "You are the only person I could tolerate besides the lions. You are the reason I stayed there. Why would I return to an empty life while I left you here to be treated like a cripple?" He grabbed the fork again and filled it with eggs. "You want to give up living so badly? Why don't you just stop trying to act like you don't care? I should know more then anyone what a mask looks like and you had put on a very poorly made one at that." He looked at the fork in his hand wondering that why of all times did he decide to care about what she wanted and what she did not want. "I will do ask you ask but you still are alive with or without your sight." He set the fork down beside her hand. "It is your choice if you live or not. You are the master of your own destiny. That is something I learned from being in all those battles and wars. I watched countless others die right where I should have died. And yet I live. My will to survive may have been weak but I lived on. It was my duty to survive to bring peace to the earth and the colonies."  
  
Catherine kept her eyes closed. "The war is over Trowa, you are no longer needed. Not as a soldier, nor as an assassin, you are needed as a friend. And possibly as..." She trailed of as her face contorted to one of embarrassment and despair. "Leave me..." She let her voice trail off into a low whisper and then went silent totally.  
  
Trowa looked at her his face full of anger at the way she was acting. "You want to die so badly just because you think you are useless. I want you to live so badly because..." He left the room slamming the door behind him and scaring the nurse.  
  
Catherine went to sleep as she heard him leave wondering why everything was falling apart.  
  
Dorothy smiled as she entered the mansion, spotting her darling at a desk. "Quatre, my haven't you been busy." She sat down on the desk, sitting on the small stack of papers Quatre had been trying to sort though. "Did you miss me?" She made a puppy face at him trying to get his attention.  
  
Quatre stopped what he was doing and looked up briefly. "Oh Miss Catalonia I was wondering when you were going to come by again." He gently took the papers from under her rear and looked at them. "I suppose you are trying to get my attention again?" He raised an eyebrow at her and then looked back down at the papers.  
  
Dorothy sighed and stood up to go and sit down in his lap, right in front of his papers. "What do you think? I did take your car. And I did, if I do remember, leave only because you pay more attention to those guards of yours then you do me." She smiled innocently and ran her fingers through his hair trying to entice him to at least acknowledge her. Even a smile would do, just something to let her know there was a soul inside him and not some drone.  
  
Quatre looked at her a moment then back at his papers, a slight flush on his cheeks. "Umm Dorothy..." He asked his mind totally devoted to the subject at hand. His eyes looking into hers and smirking a little. "I believe you sat in my ink well." He said smiling kind of painfully at her.  
  
Dorothy went from seductive to angry in under a minute. "I can't believe this, you care more for your papers then you do for me. And to think I actually thought you had finally come around and you were going to actually pay attention to me like you do those papers and those guards." She stood there her eyes like flames.  
  
Quatre set his papers aside and looked back at her, his eyes equal flames. "I regret to inform you Miss Catalonia that I have been ordered to maintain peace at any cost and if it cost you the satisfaction of being acknowledged. These guards are my friends and have been with me since I was a child. You would rather me treat you as one with the respect of someone equal to me. I have only known you three years; you have to earn your title here. I am sorry but my times are better spent with people that are not as spoiled as you are. You need to understand that not everyone has time to spend pouting about irrelevant arguments, or to run off just because they did not get sufficient attention from their other halves." He sat down and pulled at the collar of his shirt clearing his throat. "That will be all Miss Catalonia."  
  
Dorothy smirked at him. 'I knew it there is some spark in him, he just does not want to admit it. Not to me anyway.' She left his office and walked along the halls wondering why she had come back. 'I should have made him suffer more.' She stopped walking as she spotted a room with someone in it, someone rather familiar, with auburn hair and pale skin. Quietly she went into the room and closed the door behind her. "I know you, you're that circus girl. The one with the daggers." She said to herself noticing that the woman was asleep. Dorothy smirked for a moment and sat down. 'Maybe coming back was not such a bad idea at all. I could get her to help me with Mister peace in there and then maybe he will finally realize he needs me around.' She let her chin rest on her fist and watched her sleep.  
  
Catherine rolled over in her sleep feeling that something was holding onto her throat, keeping her breath away from her. Her throat was sore from the emotion of earlier and she wished that she had not had to tell him the way she just did. She felt as if she had betrayed a friend to the enemy. The voice of her friend had given her all the things she had needed to paint a picture inside her head. 'I should just leave this place, start a new life. Maybe then I can forget about everything I should and should not have done.' Her mind kept replaying the scene that had happened right before she had blacked out. The voice, always taunting her and mocking her, making her feel like she was never safe. 'Why does that voice always haunt me?' She opened her eyes everything dark. "Who's there?" She asked her voice frantic with fear. 'He has come back for me, he has come to finish what he started.' She cringed with pain at the memory of what had happened hoping that this was some nightmare she was going to wake up from any moment.  
  
Dorothy grabbed her hands and put a finger to her lips. "Just an old friend, you need to settle down." She gently rubbed her palms watching her face. "I did not know you were staying here Cathy. I did not think Quatre would have anyone visit him, much less let them." She grumbled under her breath.  
  
Catherine lay back against the pillows looking ahead of her. "I was brought here when I was attacked. Mr. Winner was kind enough to give me treatment for my wounds, though many of them will never be healed." She put hand to her heart as she realized the full extent of her wounds. Every part of her body was bruised, including. "He was very kind and some day I hope to repay him. Both him and Trowa..."  
  
Dorothy smiled at her. "Maybe we can help each other out." She laughed a little, thinking silently to herself. "You know maybe if you help me with my problem I can help you with yours." Leaning back in the chair she put a finger to her lips, tapping it with out thought against her bottom lip. "You can help me get that man to actually acknowledge me and I can help you with your problems. Tell me what are you feelings towards this Trowa character?"  
  
Catherine froze at her question wondering what she would answer. "I really don't know. Maybe I actually do have some feelings for him." She trailed off getting annoyed with herself. 


	6. Chapter 6: Secret Feelings

Chapter 6: Secret Feelings  
  
Trowa felt bad about leaving Catherine alone but he needed to get things settled down before he was around her again. For once his emotions almost gave him away, and the weakness was driving him insane. 'Maybe I am just going crazy, maybe I just need to take a major break from everything.' He ran his hand through his hair and looked at his vacant and messy bed. 'You think I would be used to being alone, but it is the opposite, I can't stand it. The constant reminder that I shall forever be alone.' He laughed at his thoughts wondering when he had become so soft.  
  
Quatre smiled as he finished his papers and looked around, expecting Dorothy to be waiting for him to pay her some kind of attention or affection. Oddly enough she was not around and there was not sign of her either. 'Seems the little princess decided to waste her time elsewhere. I should feel happy about this but for some reason, I feel like she is doing this on purpose.' He put away his papers, and yawned trying to relax now that his job was over for the day. 'What is that little vixen up to?' he thought and left his library to go and see how Catherine's vitals were doing. Quatre found Dorothy conversing with her and sighed. "If she is not torturing me she is torturing someone else." He knocked on the door as he opened it noticing that Dorothy looked up where as Catherine just sighed and turned towards Catherine. "I have told you before, don't come around this part of the mansion. There are very sick people here that need their rest and don't have the time or wellness to listen to your problems." He walked over to her. "Forgive her Catherine, she pines for attention." He bowed his head towards Catherine apologetically.  
  
Dorothy sneered at him and sighed. "We were having a nice womanly conversation and then you interrupted." She smiled towards Catherine who could not see their real faces or their emotions. "Now if you will kindly excuse us, we have some unfinished business to attend to." She then ignored the fact that he was in the room.  
  
Catherine frowned silently and listened to them. 'They don't even know how much they care for one another.' She laughed a little and blinked her eyes at the sudden gust of wind that had entered the room. "I am fine really, Dorothy was just paying me a visit." Gripping her sheets in her fist she sighed as they stopped fighting. "Actually I don't think I am up to visitors today. If you would kindly leave me, I am exhausted from over exerting myself." She lay down and pulled the blanket up to her chin, closing her eyes against the darkness.  
  
Dorothy nodded her head. "Then I shall leave, maybe I can find some help else where." She turned away from them both and left. "Oh and remember my offer, it still stands." She closed the door behind her as she left.  
  
Quatre shook his head. "You know you really should not encourage her. She is enough of a pain as it is." He looked at Catherine wondering what was going on inside her head. "Thanks for keeping her busy, I really needed to get my paper work over with and done."  
  
Catherine rolled over her face nuzzled against her pillow. "All she wanted was some one to talk to. She even asked me my opinion about you and Trowa; she is really taken with you if you did not notice. She even took the time to describe my surroundings to me so I could get around better. I have given up the chance that my sight will ever come back and am trying to look at the good side." She smiled a little in her sleep. "Now I don't have to worry about driving, I can walk." She flinched a little as she said this. "I guess I need a job now." Catherine kept her eyes closed tightly against anything. 'Leave please leave, I want to be in peace.' She waited for the door to close; telling her that he had left.  
  
Quatre nodded, he ran one of his hands through his blonde hair. "I guess I will leave you alone. I have troubled you enough." He turned and left her alone. "Rest well Catherine you will need your rest when you return to your job." He closed the door behind him and left her to her thoughts.  
  
Catherine cried into her pillow, hiding her tears in the pillowcase. 'Why won't it come back. I hate this world of darkness, it reminds me of that alley too much. I want to be able to see everyone and everything. I want to see the people I love I want to see their smiles, their frowns, even their sorrow. Just the power of sight would help.' She sobbed into her pillow. 'It figures I would learn my feelings towards him now of all times. Now when I can't see his face when I tell him. I would not even be a good girlfriend; I would never be able to tell him what looks good. And I would have to learn how to dress again.' She rolled over ignoring the sounds around her. 'I am worthless now.' She looked up at the ceiling, not really seeing it at all. 'Curse this stupid illness.' Throwing her arm over her eyes she continued to cry.  
  
Trowa left his room, closing the door behind him. 'Why of all times does this have to start now? She has enough problems around her. I can't tell her. It would just top the icing on the cake of disaster that has become her life. I feel so bad, I want to tell her but I don't know how she will take it. Maybe we should just leave this place, it seems to be confusing me and maybe it is affecting her as well.' He walked down the stairs to get to the hospital part of the mansion. Smiling he entered the hall and sighed as he listened to the utter silence. As he neared her room he could hear a soft and muffled whimpering. His mind quickly trying to register why he would be hearing that kind of noises from her room. Trowa ran into her room shutting it softly behind him. "Catherine what is wrong? Why are you crying?" He asked sitting down beside the bed and reaching over to brush the tears off of her face.  
  
Catherine stiffened and recoiled away from him. "Leave me." She stated her face wet and red from crying. "Leave me alone. You can't see me like this." Feeling the way he was leaning on the bed she moved away from him. She jumped as she felt his hand rest on her face. "Don't touch me." She said in a low whisper, half wanting him to get away and half wanting him to come closer.  
  
Trowa looked at her face avoiding her eyes that had given him chills before. They had always read into him so easily, like he was an open book. Yet now they read nothing. "Catherine what has gotten into you?" He asked rubbing his thumb against her cheek, softly, trying to calm her down. "You need to calm down before you upset your condition." Trowa tried to show his concern, but she would not listen. "Why won't you listen?" He pinned her down so she would stop fighting him. "Just settle down,"  
  
Catherine fought against his grasp and sighed as she found out it was impossible to get out. "Because I don't know anything anymore. What I feel, who I am." She closed her eyes. "I just want to leave and never come back, I don't want to bother you or Quatre or anyone anymore." She slumped and turned away from him.  
  
Trowa stilled his heart as he heard what she had just said. "Why can't you ever just calm down. If you had then you would have noticed something along time ago." He let go of her shoulders and sat down her back turned towards him. "You would have noticed you are but a burden to anyone but yourself. I don't mind having you around even if I have to help you with small things. You are my friend, you nursed me back to health when I lost my memory and I would do the same for you not matter what." He chuckled at his words. "If I had not of chased you down this would have never happened. I am such a fool; everyone around me gets hurt even if I protect them. I am just glad I got there when I did before that monster has time to..." He shut his eyes against the thought and clenched his fist. "You always think that you are in the way when in fact you are the only person that keeps me sane."  
  
Catherine sat up and felt around for his hand. She found his hand and then let her own trail up to his face. Letting her hand rest there she let her other hand rest on his other cheek and felt his face trying to see him for the first time in days. "Why are you crying?" She asked her voice shaking a little from the emotions inside her. "I never imagined someone like you could cry." Her hands roamed over his face trying to picture it inside her mind.  
  
Trowa smiled a little at her words. "I am only human Catherine, everyone cries once in a while. Even old soldiers like me," He held one of her delicate hands with one of his own, feeling the smooth skin underneath it. "I just worry about you, you are all I have in this world. The only thing I truly care about." Her held the palm of her hand against his lips and kissed it softly. "And I would not want to lose you so easily, after I only just found you." Gently he took her hand away from his face and set it back down on her bed, lightly patting it reassuringly. "You need your rest, a few more days and we can go back to the circus. You can say your final farewells...and I can say mine." He stood up and looked back at her, her face showing nothing to him. "I remember when I was the one with the hidden heart, but it looks like the tables have switched." Blushing a little at his words he left her so he could sort out his emotions.  
  
Catherine listened to him leave her heart beating loudly in her ears. 'Did he just say what I think he just said?' She saw awe struck at his behavior. 'Trowa never acts like this, maybe the drugs are getting to me.' She shook her head trying to shake out the feelings of confusion in her head. 'I am just imagining things.' She sat there listening to the birds outside her window.  
  
Dorothy knocked on the door. "Knock, knock..." She let herself in as she heard Trowa's retreating footsteps away from the room. "Seems someone had a surprise visitor. Aren't you the center of attention." She sat down and looked at the blind woman, if you did not know any better you would think she actually could see. "What's the smug look for? You act like you just won the lottery." She crossed her left leg over her right one and leaned back. "Well it's all set, there is to be a ball this up and coming week, and yours truly will be decorating. I have decided it will be a masquerade, where no one will know who their dates are." She leaned forward and smiled at her blind friend. "Care to know the details?" Not waiting for a response she waved her hand at her. "Of course you do, and I bet you are wondering how you are going to be able to dance? Well all of that is taken care of. I just need you to come out on the town with me, for dress sizes." She stood up and grabbed Catherine's hand. "Come on we need to get everything ready."  
  
Catherine shook her head. "Dorothy I am not so sure about this. I mean I will not be able to see and my dancing will give me away for sure." She stood up though, a little shaky from not walking for 3 days.  
  
Dorothy smiled at her friend. "I think I found someone that can give you back your sight. It might only be temporary but it will do to help disguise you more." She turned her back as she dressed, then turned back around. "Ok then we are set to go."  
  
Catherine stilled. "You mean I would be able to see again?" She smiled widely at the very idea that her sight would return. "Even if it is only fleeting I would give anything to be able to see him again." Nodding her head she held her hand out. "Ok then let's go."  
  
Dorothy clasped her hand and patted it. "Ok but you have to promise not to tell anyone that you can see." She poked her head outside the door to make sure the coast was clear. "Quatre would never let me visit you again, he thinks I over do things." She let Catherine lean on her if she needed help walking. "Ok then I think we are good to go."  
  
Catherine nodded her head as she walked beside Dorothy, feeling a tremendous weight coming off of her shoulders. 'Then maybe I can tell him what I have wanted to tell him for so long.'

(((( please review i want to know how everyone likes this story.))


	7. Chapter 7 Friends return

Chapter 7: Friends Return  
  
Quatre looked up at people entered his office to talk about the party. "I thought you two were not going to show up. I thought you two would be on the other side of the universe by now." He set his quill down and walked towards them. "I am glad we are on better terms now, Mr. Peacecraft." Quatre extended his hand towards him.  
  
Zechs smiled at him and shook his hand lightly. "Like wise, Noin wanted to come here and would not let me out of her sight so I was forced to come but I might enjoy myself." He looked at where Noin was admiring some artwork and then back at Quatre. "Where shall we stay while we await this party you are throwing?" He asked and walking over to Noin and holding her loosely to him.  
  
Noin shivered at his touch so enthralled in the painting. "Quatre it is good to see you again? I trust you and Dorothy are doing well?" She smiled at him and then looked at Zechs blushing a little. "Don't ask him that, there are plenty of hotels around that would be nice to stay at." She patted his hand and sighed.  
  
Quatre laughed a little. "By the way, you could always stay with me, I already have Trowa and Catherine staying here. Though it was totally by accident that they decided to stay until the masquerade." He went back to his desk, shaking his head. "Poor girl, she was attacked in a dark alley, raped and then on top of that she lost her sight. We don't know how to get it back." He sat down and laid his hands on his desk, palm down. "I am afraid I have done all in my power that I can to heal her." He held his hands up helplessly. "I don't know what to do anymore."  
  
Zechs smiled at him. "Something will turn up at some point it always does. Now about those rooms?" He asked sitting down across from the desk.  
  
Noin shook her head at him. "Now Zechs, we don't want to impose..." She trailed off as she saw Quatre waving his hand like it was not big deal.  
  
"Don't worry about it I need the company to deal with Dorothy, she gets so angry because I don't pay attention to her." He looked at his papers; all neatly stacked just like his life. 'Maybe she is good for me, my life seems too organized. "Now about those rooms, they are on the east wing I will get one of the butlers to help you find your way there, even I get lost here. Anyway he can help you with your luggage as well." He stood up and smiled at them. "This way." He came from behind the desk and let them follow him out of the room.  
  
Noin kept her eyes glued to the walls admiring the décor. "You have a nice home, I remember you were the most calm of the gundam pilots." She looked at a suit of armor and was glad they were not that primitive anymore.  
  
Zechs watched the young man in front of him. "So how long do you think these agreement of peace will last? I reason that you have been watching the treaties to make sure that there is nothing trying to start the war?" He put his hands in the pockets of his trench coat a sudden chill at the idea of another war.  
  
Quatre shrugged his shoulders. "Who knows? I have been trying to maintain the peace here but this is not the center of the universe, and I am but one man. Your little sister, Relena, has been taking care of peace in her own nation, and luckily she has the advantage of them actually believing in her. She was a born ruler, obviously, she is a Peacecraft after all." He laughed a little at his words. "But like I said peace has lasted this far, let us hope that it last at least until we are long and dead, and that our descendents can handle the enemy." He opened up door to his left and let them pass through. "This is where you will reside until after the party. My servants will be most helpful in any way they can be. And with that I bid you farewell, I must return to my papers." He shut the door behind him and let them investigate their room.  
  
Zechs took his trench coat off and set it on a hook in the wall. "Nice room, "He looked at Noin as she sat down on the edge of the bed. "What are you thinking about Noin?" He asked as he kneeled down in front of her putting his fingers underneath her delicate chin and slightly tipping it towards his face to look into his eyes.  
  
Noin felt a shiver at his touch and smiled. "I just feel sorry for Catherine, maybe we can find some cure for her." She crossed her ankles and laid her hands gently in her lap. "And I feel something is coming, something terrible is about to happen and I fear that we are in the midst of it." She hugged herself tightly and shivered a little from a sudden gust of wind.  
  
Zechs closed his eyes and kissed her forehead softly, "Do not worry about it, I am sure you are just over reacting." He looked over at the huge window that was on one of the walls. "It is just we are not used to this place, it feels like it is on the verge of war, or on the verge of peace. They don't know what they want." He stood up. "We should get going didn't you want to visit with the pilots?" He asked as he looked around the room for a place to unload his bag, which had just come into the room.  
  
Noin nodded her head. "Yeah but I want to wait until all of them are here. Knowing Trowa he will be too wrapped up in tending to Catherine. Let's just rest, we had a long trip here and my body is wore out." She lay back on the bed and covered her eyes with her arm sighing softly.  
  
Zechs smiled at her. "Very well I will let you rest, I'll just read that novel I started." He sat down in front of the fireplace and pulled out his book.  
  
Trowa panicked as he went into Catherine's room, seeing that the bed was empty. 'Ok maybe she just went out or something.' He groaned at the very idea of her going out alone, in her condition.  
  
In town...  
  
Catherine let Dorothy lead her around since her sight had not returned yet. "Ok Dorothy, where are you taking me?" She asked feeling odd with the bags in her hands. She had no clue what Dorothy had bought her, and was beginning to be afraid that Dorothy had picked something revealing out.  
  
Dorothy smiled as she reached the shop she had been looking for; it was like one of those knick-knack shops where you could find almost anything. "Just a little story you might like." She looked on the shelves and frowned not finding what she was looking for. "Excuse me, miss I was wondering..." She then whispered to her what was wrong and looked at her with pleading eyes. "You have to have something that will help her get it back?" She was beginning to wonder if coming here was such a good idea.  
  
The woman smiled at her and went to the back, coming back with in a few minutes with a small vile. "Put this in her eyes lightly, you must do this every few days and her sight will return for oh..." She put a finger to her lip. "For about 12 hours." She waited for Dorothy to pay her.  
  
Dorothy grabbed the vile from the Russian woman and gave her the money. "Thanks again, and we will be sure to listen to the directions." She went back to Catherine and grabbed her arm. "Now time to take you home and fit that dress of yours." They left the store and headed back towards the mansion.  
  
Catherine was wondering what Dorothy had been talking to the storeowner about, feeling a slight excitement about the mystery and the fact that she might be able to see after this little outing. "When is the masquerade again?" She asked as she was shoved into a car by Dorothy and then heard her shut the door behind her.  
  
Dorothy went to the driver's side and opened the door, then slide in. "Oh in about 2 to 3 days, it really depends on when everyone gets here. Quatre does not like to wait 'til the last minute like most people I know." She smiled a little at that. "Unless it comes to the opposite sex, which reminds me, you were going to help me lure Mr. Prince Charming into my awaiting arms." She began to drive the car towards the mansion. "I was thinking that me and you team up and arrive mysteriously in the dance sweeping both our men off of our feet. Maybe we can get the other girls into it as well." She laughed at what Relena would think.  
  
Mansion...  
  
Quatre looked up again seeing that a strange man with short brown hair came in. "Excuse me can I help you?" He asked and stood up, placing his pen down beside his papers. "Are you a new employee?"  
  
The man looked at him in horror at first and then started laughing. "I can't believe you don't remember me." He shook his head chuckling a little. "Quatre I never thought you would gain a sense of humor in the short 3 years it has been. It's me Duo, the god of death has returned." Duo stood there waiting for Quatre to remember him.  
  
Quatre just stared at him. "Duo what happened to your braid?" He asked looking at his friend. Duo was still wearing that black outfit he had always worn so long ago. His attention drifted to the door as it opened and closed again, revealing this time a young woman with short dark hair.  
  
Duo pointed at her with a steady finger. "She spit gum in my hair." He cast a glare at her and she waved guiltily. "She was complaining that my hair was too long and then the next day I found wads of chewing gum in my hair. It was gross."  
  
Hilde smiled shyly. "It is not my fault that your hair is a mile long." She looked at Quatre and nods her head. "I just may have gotten a tad bit carried away."  
  
((Sorry I did not update sooner but I have this nagging feeling that no one is reading my story and that maybe I should just rewrite it. Review please!!)) 


	8. Chapter 8: Sights set on the Horizon

Chapter 8 Sights set on the Horizon 

((I think my talents have improved somewhat you tell me)))

Catherine fingered the dress she was wearing softly, marveling at the very feel of it against her skin. She had gotten over the fact that her sight was back for a short time and that she could not tell anyone. The dress was full at the bottom and covered her frail appearance. In the mirror she could not suppress the thought that she looked like a china doll. "Dorothy are you sure about this?" She asked picking at the frills of hunter green silk on the side.

Dorothy looked up from her book and put a finger to her lips, looking at how the dress fit her. "Maybe we need less frill, and more of a form." She stood up slowly walking up to Catherine. "The dress color is off a little but with a few alterations I am sure it will be perfect. I guess we will have to get my tailors to alter it with fewer skirts. Ok then you can take the dress off. We must get you to your room before your lover boy notices you are gone." Turning away she grabbed the clothing Catherine had been wearing and handed them to her. "Remember," She winked at her. "Our little secret..." She smiled and left the room instructing her to leave the dress on the bed and then return to her room.

After she was dressed in her normal attire she grabbed the vile of potion and went slowly out of the room, making sure to make people think she was feeling her way along the wall to her room. 'I just hope I am as convincing as I think I am.' Realizing she had finally found her room she went inside and closed the door behind her. She looked at her body, weak from staying in bed and not exercising her muscles. 'A good long shower is in order.' Taking her clothing out of a drawer she went to the bathroom that adjoined her room. Closing the door behind her she leaned against it wishing that she did not have to play these games with his head, but she wanted to please her new friend. 'Trowa, I just don't want to be rejected again. It happened once before and I don't think I can handle going through it again.' She clutched her crisp, clean clothing to her face, remembering that the T-shirt she had in her hands was one she stole from Trowa when they were younger, and she had just met him. Even then she had had a crush on him, but as years progress the feelings had intensified and three years from when they had first met she was beginning to think what his answer to that one "question" would be. Her intense blue eyes scanned the bathroom spotting a deep bathtub, and she quickly discarded her clothing as she turned the water on. Catherine slipped in silently and laid back her neck resting on the curve of the tub and she sighed. "This feels like heaven." She let the tub fill up as she relaxed her tense muscles.

Noin woke up to the sound of the fire in the fireplace crackling and sat up; her body rested from her little catnap. Her eyes scanned the room, finding her blonde companion sleeping in a recliner, his book displayed on his lap. She smirked at the image wishing she had a camera to take the once in a lifetime picture. 'Sleep on my prince, and may your dreams be blessed with pleasant thoughts.' She stood from the bed and looked at the room truly, her first real once over of the room she was to be staying in. 'Seems our friend is really going out of his way to make us comfortable.' She ran a finger against the satin curtains seeing that they were her favorite shade of blue. The ice blue curtains trailed down the long windows and on to the floor, making a pleasant looking pool of satin on the ground. She looked out the window and watched the sun marveling at its radiance and charm. She jumped a little as she heard a noise behind her and sighed contently as she realized it was the fire again. 'A little jumpy today aren't we?' Chuckling she left her room to talk about the latest news with Quatre and check up on Catherine.

------

Duo leaned on the desk smiling as he tucked some of his short hair out of his face. "I'll get her back though, one of these days I am going to get her back." He cast a glance over his shoulder at the girl who just shook her head at him. "You will regret angering the god of death."

Hilde sighed softly as she sat down in the plush chair behind Duo. "You over reacted and how are you going to get me back again? My hair is already short." She traced small hearts on the arm of the chair with her fingertip as she waited for the two men to continue their conversation. "Don't you mean the retired god of death?" She raised an eyebrow at him and winked.

Quatre laughed a little, his laugh resonating off the hard wood walls. "She does have a point there old friend. I guess you are going to have to find some other way to have your revenge. And we are all retired, the threat of war is over and there is no need for soldiers anymore. We are a run down lot that have little or no other skills." The ink pen in his hand jotting down notes on the movements of the people north. "We survive though on what we do have left, our hearts fully content with the peace we have brought forth with our own hands, and our own sacrifices." He set his pen down and looked at them neatly folding his hands on the desk. "We can only hope that this time it lasts."

Duo nodded his head, gripping his fist. "I know what you mean buddy, and if there is an outbreak of war anywhere, threatening out peace then the god of death shall rise again and strike them down with one blow." He looked at his friend, someone he had met in the field of battle, glad that they had been on the same side and not fighting each other. "I sure am glad that everything worked out though."

Hilde moaned, her mind already registering for sleep. "Quatre when is this ball you wanted us to attend?" Her interest a little more then normal, "I am sure it is formal attire am I correct?" She asked crossing her legs seductively in front of her to catch Duo's attention.

Duo eyed her for a moment his gaze traveling to her face. "Not this time, that is how my hair was cut off." He turned to Quatre and continued their conversation about the old war they had fought beside in.

Hilde sighed, her mind growing bored with this endless talk of old times and memories. Sure she had had her own share of battle once or twice, but it was only fleeting. They did not want her to ruin their chances of winning because she was new to it. 'Men and their old tales.'

---

Trowa gazed longingly at the sky, the same color as her eyes. It seemed that everything lately reminded him of her. The red curtains reminded him of her hair and how much he wanted to run his fingers through her silken locks and find out if all her skin was as dark as the skin he had seen. His mind was still trying to comprehend why she would not be in her room. 'Maybe I just imagined it, maybe she was asleep in her bed the entire time and I just did not look.' He returned to her room seeing that she was still not in bed but he could hear water running in the bathroom. "Catherine are you in there?" He knocked lightly on the door with his knuckle and waited for her reply.

Catherine opened her eyes as she heard the knock and the question from beyond her door. "I am, Dorothy was kind enough to show me where the bathroom was and I climbed in after figuring out where everything was. I hope I did not worry you." She stopped the water that was running and lay there letting her body be covered by the pleasantly warm liquid. "I will be out shortly, if you want to wait." Grabbing the shampoo she had found on her investigation of the small bathroom, then she rubbed the honey suckle scented shampoo into her wet hair.

Trowa sighed glad that she was where he could keep an eye, or ear, on her. "Take your time." He replied listening to the pleasant sound of her humming to herself as she washed out her hair. Looking around her room he spotted her shoes on the floor beside her door and nodded his head, knowing she had gone out earlier. "Did you go out shopping earlier? I came by to visit but you were not in."

Catherine stopped the scrubbing motion she was doing to her hair and bit her lip silently. "Umm.... Dorothy took me out to try and cheer me up. She had to go shopping for her dress for the masquerade." She rinsed out her hair and ran her fingers through it making sure that the tangles were out. "It really brightened my spirits." Finishing the rest of her washing she stepped out of the tub and toweled the water off of her weak body. As she finished, she dressed in her clothing and put her hair in the towel to dry. Then stepping out she slowly felt around for the way to her bed. "Sorry to have worried you." She turned to the side, pretending to talk to air instead of where he was sitting. Smiling innocently at nothing she closed her eyes and kept her form bent over so she could find the railing to her bed. "I think I over exerted myself though, my body is so weak." She climbed into the bed and reached around trying to find the blanket to cover herself up.

Trowa watched her, marveling at the way she could find her way around the room so easily. "Well I am glad you are ok, I feel that I partly am the reason you are like this..." He trailed off as he reached out and grabbed her hand, holding it like it was his only grasp on reality. "You are all I have left here, I don't want to loose you." Smirking a little he patted her hand affectionately "Have you decided on a dress for that masquerade?"

Catherine shook her head and laid her head down upon the white pillows and coughed a little. "No I am afraid I shall not be attending the party. You can have fun with out me." She turned over towards his voice and let her eyes fix on the wall behind him. 'You are just how I remembered you would be, though you seem so tired...what has kept you from sleeping my friend?' She sighed and squeezed his hand. "Don't worry though, I will keep myself entertained. Have fun with out me and make sure to tell everyone I said hello."

Trowa could see her eyes and smiled a little knowing that she would not see his smile, "If you insist." He stood up looking at her sorrowfully, then sighed. "I guess I shall take my leave then. And I will make certain to tell you every detail of the festive night." He let got of her hand, though he wished that her small hand could be within his reach for all time. 'Why am I lacking the will to tell her everything.' He thought as he left her room and shut the door behind him. 'I am just upset over her condition, though I wish she was able to come to the dance. Then I could have admired her from beneath the mask of mystery.' Trowa sighed a little wondering why he did not tell her how he felt but dismissed it. As he climbed the stairs, the curtains of satin billowing around him, framing his manly form. 'I'll tell her after the dance. I am one hundred percent sure of that.' He clenched his fist bound and determined of that fact.


	9. Chapter 9 Fabric of Deception: A new ene...

Chapter 9: Fabric of Deception, a new enemy

Dorothy watched Trowa leave smirking to herself. 'The poor fool has no clue that his beloved will be attending the dance tomorrow eve.' She waited for his shadow to be out of sight and returned to Catherine's room. "Ok your dress will be ready tomorrow morning and to make sure that no one will know who you are I have decided to take you to get your hair done." The wind blew Catherine's hair into her eyes and she tucked it behind her ear, biting silently on her lip.

"Don't you think that is going a little too far? Trowa already does not suspect that I am going to be there, isn't that enough." She placed her feet on the hard wood floor, her mind thinking about the trickery ahead. "I mean I am not sure about that."

Dorothy rolled her eyes and closed the door behind her, shutting the curtains as well. "You wanted to be disguised right? Well your hair gives you away, I mean who else do we know that has your hair style?" She asked gently picking up one of the many waves in Catherine's hair. "I mean your hair is like a waterfall of red waves, who would not notice you? I was simply planning to maybe straighten it, dye it another color, and maybe some highlights, it would not permanent. It would wash out at some point or we could just straighten it, I mean that would only last a day." She looked at Catherine with pleadings eyes, wanting to do this more then ever.

Catherine sighed. "Fine but we can't do this now, what if Trowa or someone else comes in and ruins it?" She sat down on her bed, a pillow neatly put in her lap. "I bet Trowa would want me to explain everything and then he would just give me the silent treatment again..." She trailed off as she heard a feminine voice from the doorway.

"So you want to pull a fast one on a gundam pilot?" She asked her shoulder leaning against the doorframe. "Far be it from me to ruin a girl's fun." Noin smirked at the two her bangs hiding one eye. "I think I can help you with that department. But I have a much better idea. I think you should disguise all of the women, confuse the men. They need a good wake up call; this peace has made their minds lay dormant. And that includes Zechs, he may need the help more then others." She sat down on the bed playing with the sleeve of her shirt. "What do you ladies say?" Noin asked her smile obvious to them both.

Dorothy smiled at her, laughing a bit. "Who would have thought that you would have aided us in this mission. That is not a bad idea though, I just have to get Miss Relena and the others to agree to this."

--

Relena looked at the mansion that the limo driver was pulling up to, the invitation was addressed to Heero and her but he had not been around since the end of the war. She would catch a glimpse of him but then he would disappear and she would feel alone. Everyone around her was afraid that another assignation attempt, and that they would get caught up in the fire and die. "Come back and get me in a few days, I will be staying here with friends." The driver nodded his head and set her bags outside of the car, then as silently as they had pulled up he left her at the front doorstep. "Well there is no use thinking of the past. There is a party to think of, not to mention people to meet and be reunited with." She looked at the person that had joined her. "Let us go then." She said nodding her head towards the mansion, her bags in hand. "I can introduce you to my associates, and then we can continue our conversation about this peace."

The man nodded his head his eyes hiding something wild beneath. "Of course Vice Minister Darlin, what ever you wish." There was a hunched sort of bad feeling to him but Relena had to maintain some relation to the other colonies. This man was a leader from one of the biggest colonies, or so he said. 'I just hope the other's don't mind me bringing my work with me.' Heero flashed in her mind of him casting that unreadable look her way, she shivered and straightened her back, not letting anything scare her.

The man nodded his head at her wishing they could get their arrangement over and done with. The sooner he was gone the sooner he could make his plans known to his superiors. 'They will like my evaluation, and act on it as soon as they have figured out the plans for it.' They climbed the few steps to the front door and rang the doorbell, waiting for the door to be opened. "When do you want to finish our arrangements? I am sort of in a hurry, I need to get back before my flight takes off." He looked at his watch seeing that it was going to take off within a few hours. "I hate to run but I do have other engagements to take care of."

Relena nodded understanding him perfectly. "As soon as we are led to our rooms, we can get to work on the treaties between our Earth and your colony. Maybe this agreement between us will encourage others to follow in suit." The butler opened the door and he let them in, calling servants to retrieve their bags. "Lord Quatre is in his study, filling out papers just follow the hall and it will be the first door on your left." The men left carrying Relena's bags, letting them find their way to the room.

Quatre left his study his papers left on the desk as he went out to check on the patient. He turned and stopped as he saw Relena standing there with some stranger. "Relena, I was wondering when you would arrive, where is Heero?" He asked noticing that they were the only two in the hallway besides him. "I assumed that he would be with you when I sent the letter."

Relena handed him the letter he had sent. "Heero disappeared shortly after the war ended, not telling me where he went or when he would be back. So I give no guarantees that he will show up, you know how unpredictable he is." Relena waved her hand offhandedly, trying to pretend that she did not care. "Would you mind if we used one of your rooms to finish our negotiations from before. It won't take long." She looked at the gentleman that had come with her.

Quatre nodded his head. "I will not be back for a few minutes at least, I need to see how a friend of mine is doing. She was attacked and we have been trying to help her get better. So far she is going really good, but she lost her sight. I think that the only reason she lost it is because she saw something that she did not want to see. We will not know until she is stable enough to tell us."

Relena gasped a little at the words he just said. "Would I happen to know this person?" She asked momentarily forgetting the man behind her. "What exactly happened to her may I ask?"

Quatre scratched the back of her neck. "Well what we think happened is that she was cornered in an alley and the man had his way with her. There were several bruises all over her body and she was extremely sick after that for a while. I can only imagine what she went through that would cause her to go blind. She kept ranting for a while about some strange man that was taunting her before she passed out. I don't really know if you know her or not. She is a friend of Trowa's, they were in the circus together."

Relena sighed her thoughts back on the matter at hand. "Well maybe I can visit her another time since I have this at hand. I seem to remember talk of a friend of his, if you don't mind me joining you maybe I can make a quick visit to her." Looking over her shoulder the man nodded his head saying it was ok.

"Don't worry, I understand what it is like to have a friend in need. Would you mind if I came with you?" Asking this he brushed aside his black hair, which had fallen, over his forehead.

Relena nodded her head and let him follow them. "Do as you wish." She then walked beside Quatre. "So how has everything been going?" Her voice soft and quiet thought the room was silent.

He looked at her as he thumbed through a novel trying to find his place and mark it. "So far everything is normal, there are no threats of war or anything to hurt the people here. Everyone desires peace, as far as is apparent to me." The halls were silent except for their footsteps. "No signs of rebels or anything have been sighted. I just hope it holds to."

"I agree, I would hate to have another war kill all those innocent people just like last time. To think of how many lives could have been saved if the war had ended sooner. Of all the battles we would not have had to fight." She shrugged her shoulders knowing fully well that she was dwelling on the past again. "But we must make sure that this peace endures, for the sake of the future." Relena looked at him her mindset and her face showing that she was serious.

"Of course, we do what is needed to keep our peace. Everyone is doing his or her part and so far it has been working. We can only hope that it holds." They came to the room where Catherine was and he noticed that Noin and Dorothy were visiting her. "Why does she never listen?" Opening the door he sighed and walked over to Dorothy's side, taping her on the shoulder. "What did I tell you about bothering her while she was resting?"

Catherine looked towards the door, faking the blindness. "Quatre is that you?" She asked making sure that her eyes looked vacant and unfocused. "What is this unexpected visit for?" She asked her mind wondering if he had over heard their conversation.

"I just came to visit you and to bring someone you might know. Catherine Bloom, this is Relena Peacecraft. Relena this is Catherine Bloom I hope you two become friends."

The man held his chin and watched the women and the man interact seeing that the one in the hospital clothing looked familiar. 'There is something about her that seems so familiar, yet I know that I have not been here for long so it is impossible for me to have met her. Most of my time was spent in the market place and then at Miss Peacecraft's home.' He looked at the woman with the beautiful red wavy curls. 'Maybe after my discussion with Relena I can go visit her and figure it out. You never know I may make a new friend.' He smirked at this and kept watching the women in front of him.

Dorothy glared at him. "Well what else am I supposed to do, you always stay locked up in your study never wanting to pay any attention to me. So I decided to pay her a visit, at least she does not ignore me when I want to be talked to." She then turned away from Quatre and back to Catherine. "Anyway what were we talking about again?" She asked looking at Noin to see if she had any clue.

Noin laughed at them and stood up, brushing off her pants. "Well I need to get back before Zechs starts to worry and calls the guards out to find me. He will be happy to find out that his baby sister has decided to grace us with her presence." She looked at Relena softly and then shook her head. "It was nice to see you again Relena, and don't work too hard you are still on vacation." She waved her hand over her shoulder saying bye and noticed the man watching the rest of them. 'What is he doing here? I thought he had abandoned Earth when the war stopped.' She kept her tongue silent and walked away slowly. 'I must inform Zechs; as soon as possible he may have the answer. No need to cause a world wide panic over some man.'

The stranger watched the older woman leave wondering if his cover was blown. He returned to watching the other women and then watched the auburn haired woman close her eyes and laugh at something. 'Something about her draws me to her. Yet I don't know what it is. Maybe it is because her hair is the color of blood. Innocent blood shed for no reason at all. That may be the reason, because I love war and the smell of blood entices me to keep at my work. To ensure that war lives on and that this false peace dissipates quickly. People are only truly happy when they are at war, killing others.' He started laughing as the idea came into play. 'They have no clue that their lives are going to end soon.'

Relena nodded her head towards Noin as she left. "Don't worry I plan on finishing my work and then relaxing after I have disgusted the matters at hand with Mister De la Croix" With that said he stepped into the light and everyone's eyes glued to his handsome yet mysterious face.

"Please call me Vincent, just about everyone does." He bowed to them feeling that he was on trial underneath all those eyes. "My deepest apologies to the one that is ill. I only hope that your recovery is fast and painless." He smiled charmingly at Catherine who was looking in his direction but not at him directly. 'There is something about her that makes me think of war.'

Catherine blushed at the words he said hearing the emotion behind them but feeling empty concern coming from the stranger. She felt like she recognized the voice and it unnerved her to no end, feeling that something sick and repulsive deep in her gut. Her face was pale as she felt ill and she started coughing. "Thanks for your concern, I am doing better from what I have been told. My friends have been silently praying that I get better and it looks like it may be paying off. Do forgive me but I feel that I know you from somewhere. Maybe you visited the circus, or maybe we ran into each other when I was out shopping. Before this mess began and everything was normal, or as close to normal as things could be. There is something about you that makes me believe that we have crossed paths before.

Vincent looked up at her seeing her doll like blue eyes wondering how long it would take to get lost in them, like an ocean of pure water staring, yet seeing nothing in his direction. "I know that is not the case, I would have remembered a woman as breath taking like you." He smirked knowing fully well that his charms always worked on women, even the unwilling always succumbed, except that one woman at the market, she had never given in.

Catherine blushed even more choking with disgust on the frosting covered words he was trying to feed her. "You are too kind." She simply said her ton hard like a rock. Something about the man unnerved her maybe it was his demeanor, he seemed too sneaky to be anyone noble.


	10. Chapter 10 The Unexpected Visitor

Chapter 10 The Unexpected Visitor

Relena looked at Vincent wondering what was going on, he was sent here for peace negotiations and here he was hitting on the second female he had seen his entire trip. She cast a glance at Catherine who looked a little uneasy at the advances from him and took that as a cue. "Well Vincent, if that is what you want to be called, we must get our business out of the way before your plane takes off. We don't want you to miss it." She said her mind wondering why the air seemed so tense.

Vincent smiled again and stood up his eyes fixed on Catherine, her small fragile body. 'Seems there is yet another woman that won't fall for my charms, guess I will have to make her.' He looked at Relena with his ice blue eyes, wondering what he should say to change her mind. "I think that is a good idea, I need to get back as soon as possible." He looked at everyone again and then back at Relena nodding his head. "Lead the way."

Catherine exhaled her breath as she watched them leave Dorothy and Quatre still in the room with her. 'My chest felt like it was going to explode, that man is bad. I can tell his eyes looked at me as if I was some rare dish served for his delight.' She wrapped her arms around her shivering at the image of his eyes engraved in her mind, looking at her the way a starved wolf would look at a fat sheep lost in the rain.

Dorothy looked at Catherine and then watched the two leave. "Quatre tell Relena we need to talk to her after she is done with her meeting. It is very important, and needs to be dealt with ASAP." She whipped her head back around her hair following the move of her head. "Catherine are you alright?" She asked gently rubbing Catherine's shoulders for warmth. "Quatre leave us it is time Cathy and I had a talk, a girl talk." Quatre was showed out of the room by Dorothy, who locked the door behind him. "Now Catherine what is wrong? You act as if you just saw the grim reaper, or worse, Trieze in the nude." She tried to joke around with her friend but it did not help.

"That man, his eyes they were filled with the desire of war and death. He seemed to want it more then ever, you can see it in his eyes. Dorothy I'm scared, something bad is going to happen and I know that guy is linked to it in some way." She covered her eyes willing the image of that man out of them. "His voice still haunts me even in my waking hours."

"Of course it would, you just met him only a few minutes ago."

Catherine shook her head. "No this is not the voice I have nightmares of, it is the voice I met in the alley, the one that taunted me before I passed out and woke up here." She whimpered hating the sound of her own fear but knowing that she was afraid, afraid of something that would never stop.

--

The teenager stood outside one of the windows, keeping an eye on his prey, no one knew he was there yet and he was going to keep it that way. 'So you have decided to try and cover up your tracks by asking for a peace agreement. Knowing her she fell for it and is meeting with you now, not thinking anything else is wrong. Typical, she was never good at telling who was who unless they had a big sign on their forehead saying they were bad or good.' He looked in the window seeing the man sit down across from her and hand over some papers. 'Let's see what type of arrangement you have in store.'

--

Relena sat down, her hands rested on the table in front of her. "I see you have come prepared, so let us begin." She gracefully opened the manila folder seeing that there was indeed a good bit of paper, all of it forms of agreement. "Let's see," She thumbed through some of the papers, most of them ones that they would not fire on the Earth if the Earth did not fire on them. That certain parts of the space belonged to them and basically that type of material. "I think you have a good start, it is good to see that we have a foundation to stand on. One problem though is that you want the above one of our military bases, which would give you an advantage if war should break out so I will have to cut that off the list. How about instead we trade supplies, normal things you would not get on your colony like animals or some sort of material."

Vincent shook his head. "The only thing we lack is a strong metal for our outer shell, the old one is starting to break away and parts of the colony are becoming dangerous."

Relena put the papers down, her mind made up. "How about instead of giving you metal to repair your colony we repair it ourselves in return though space is not just yours but everyone else's. That would both of our needs. We require little all I think we needs is the reassurance that you will not attack us. So we in turn will not attack you. A mutual understanding and go from there." She signed the agreement and waited for his signature.

Vincent nodded his head reading over the paper in his hand. "If we should be fired on we will be forced to retaliate, and our crafts are able to land here if they wish it and refuel of course." He waited for her agreement and then signed smiling. "Ok then, looks like you have one less colony to worry about." He leaned back wiping sweat from his brow as he looked at his watch. "Damn it! I missed my shuttle, guess I am stuck here for a night. You think your friend would mind if I stayed here for another day?"

--

'You are so predictable; your shuttle does not leave for another few hours. I bet you need to tell your superiors what just happened that way they can find some way to blame the entire war you are just about to start on Relena. That is how it started last time, except it was on Zechs that it was blamed.' He readied his weapon to attack Vincent but remembered that if anyone from his colony was fired on they would launch a war against the Earth and that would be that. 'Curse this stupid alliance.' He got down off of the balcony he was on and put his gun away feeling like the lion that is taunted with a steak but gets hamburger meat instead. 'Guess I have to go under cover and to try flushing him out to reveal who he really is. Maybe then she will realize not everyone is as nice as she thinks they are.' He was still kind of mad at the mix up at her house a few months ago. Everything had been going fine until he had decided to take her up on her offer of taking a shower. Waiting until she was out of the house he had gotten into the shower and taken one as fast as possible, not noticing what kind of stuff he had put in his head. When he got out he did not notice the strange smell as he left her home, not wanting to be around her that much. They had never talked about anything and something about her made him actually feel something. It had been a few weeks after that when he had noticed the change. Finally he had looked in the mirror and noticed that his hair was not its normal color, it was blonde. "I guess that shampoo I used at her house was some kind of sun-in crap." He put his hat on hiding his hair from people around him. Heero knocked on the door caring a small bag.

"Hey buddy it has been a while." He hugged the stranger on the steps. "What took you so long? Your woman came in earlier with out you and I thought that you would not show." The hat on his head flew off and his blonde hair was revealed. "What happened to your hair?" He asked his jaw falling down to the ground.

Heero just stands there immobile until Duo decided to let him go. "I should say the same to you. And she is not my woman." He left Duo on the front step staring after him as he took off in search of a good place to watch the enemy.

"Now wait a minute, you have not even seen me in over 3 years and that is all you have to say to me? I at least should get a "hey how are you doing?" He said waiting for the reply. "I know deep down you are a real softy it shows through no matter how much you want to hide it."

Heero turns towards him and looks him in the eye his face emotionless. "Hey how are you doing?" He then turns and leaves not caring about the reply, his mindset on where he wanted to be.

Duo smiled at him. "Now that was not so hard was it?" He opened his eyes from his smile and noticed that he was not around. "It seems that someone has not changed much over the years." He yelled not knowing if he heard him.

--

Zechs looks down the hall trying to find Noin, he had woken up while she was gone and wondered where she had went. "Knowing her she found someone to talk to and decided to abandon me." He noticed a figure reading by a window her dark hair cut short at her neck. Silently he walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, leaning against her. "I was looking for you, you know I get lonely if I am left alone." He cooed into her ear.

Hilde froze and dared not to look up. "Well I was not looking for you and the alone thing that sounds like a personal problem to me." She closed her book and set it aside.

Zechs smiled at her words noticing the quiver in her voice. "I knew you were upset with me but what did I do wrong? Was it the other night? I already said I'm sorry." He said his blonde hair falling over her shoulder.

Hilde blushed. "Woah there buddy what exactly are you implying, what went on the other night that would cause me to be upset?" She asked her mind reeling at this. 'Ok I know it is not Duo, he has dark hair.'

Zechs took a deep breath and embraced her again. "Then you are not upset with me?" He asked his heart feeling a tad bit lighter.

She blushed a little. "No I guess I am not but that leaves me the question of why I would be mad at you."

Zechs smiled and tightened his grip on her. "Then shall we continue where we left off the other night?" He asked, kissing her ear, feeling the shiver run up her spine.

Duo gave up on Heero and went to find Hilde and get her back for the whole hair thing. He saw Zechs and Hilde in the hall and he rushed forward. "Ok Zechs just because you are not getting anything from your woman does not mean you can get any from mine."

Hilde turned away from him backing away and getting out of his arms. "Woah there stranger, we should get to know each other before we go that far, and I have no intention of doing that on a first date." She crossed her arms over her chest glaring at the strange blonde. She looks at Duo her eyes showing sparks of flames. "You now this perve?" Then the last thing keyed in. "And I am not your woman!"

Zechs watched Hilde. "So I was mistaken, you are not Noin. My mistake I thought you were her." He turned as he heard Noin walking up on the scene. "There you are, I was trying to find you earlier.

"I leave you alone for a few minutes and here you are molesting a young girl. I can't leave you alone for more then a second." She shook her head sighing. "My apologies to you but he is very...he needs help...." She trails off seeing Hilde standing against the wall shooting death glares at Duo. "I was the one he was looking for."

Hilde ignored Duo and looked at Noin feeling like she was looking in a mirror. "Umm sure I guess it is ok considering we look so much alike. It is just kind of scary when some stranger wraps his arms around you and tries to have his way with you." She blushed a little. "I am Hilde Scheibeker, and you must be this Noin he was looking for." She held out her hand and greeted her. "Sorry about this."

Zechs looked from Noin to Hilde and back again his eyes looking confused and sad. "Oh gods there are two of them. And I had problems dealing with one." He shook his head a hand to his forehead.

Noin shook her head. "It was bound to happen, I mean we are under the same roof. Zechs just needs his glasses to be able to tell that we are different." She smiled. "I am Lucretzia Noin, but everyone calls me Noin. I should be the one that is apologizing to you." She put her hands on Zechs' shoulders, tapping her slender fingers against his collarbone. "We best get going, we have a matter to take care of." She led him to their room and shut the door behind them. "What was that remark of there being two of me?" She asked her eyes locked onto him. "I have half the mind to send you back out there to deal with it yourself."

Duo watched the two leave and groaned. "The thought of there being two Hilde's is terrible. I mean imagine the hell two of you would put the world through." Turning back to Hilde and noticing the look of death on her face. "What's wrong Hilde? You don't look too good." He began to walk towards her.

Hilde glared at him her fists clenched at her sides. "So you think I am trouble right? You think I am too much to handle. You have no idea what you are talking about."

Duo backed away from her. "Umm could you quit that you are kind of scaring me." He stumbled over a chair and landed on his butt looking up at her as she glared down at him.

Hilde growled at him and smirked. "You my friend are no god of death. Not if a woman can scare you." She turned to leave. "Oh and forget me ever being your girl. It will never happen as long as you act that way or say those things to me. It hurts a girl's feelings." She then cast him a glare and then left him to his thoughts her mind wondering why he would say such things.

Duo watched her leave and felt kind of bad for what he had said. 'There is no use trying to take it back. What's said is said.

Heero watched his friend wondering what had inspired him to be so cruel to her. 'Guess that peppy attitude is finally wearing off.' He went to his room, one that was empty and next to Relena's so he could keep an eye on her while that guy was around. 'That leach is probably trying to trick her into giving him her full trust...and it is probable working.'


	11. Chapter 11 Unwanted Advances

Chapter 11 Unwanted Advances

Vincent smirked as Relena, left feeling that his goals had been achieved. 'The colony will be happy with my choice I just have to get that guy into position to start things going and then presto. A new future ahead.' He knew that softy Mr. Winner would let him stay, provided that he kept him in the dark about not really missing his flight. It would give him time to investigate more about Relena and figure out where he new that other woman from.

--

Noin sat down at a small table, looking at him her chin resting serenely on the palm of her hand. "I have a job for you Zechs." She said waiting for his reaction. "You remember the founders of OZ, well one of them has decided to crawl out of its slime pool. I was wondering how long they would stay hidden. Anyway, give me any information you have about this Mister Vincent De la Croix, he was at one of the rallies that we had for the soldiers before the war to get their spirits up. I never met him face to face but I know since you were a higher ranked Lieutenant then I that you would be more familiar with him." Her eyes traced the outline of his face as he thought of her question

Zechs thought for a moment. "That man was one of the major ones, he was very dedicated to the war that we had involved ourselves in." Zechs sat across from her, his gaze hazy from not focusing on anything, too intent on his mind. "I thought he had died in space with the rest of them. Why do you ask?" He then focused on her intent expression.

Noin leaned back in the chair her hands covering her eyes. "He has decided to show his face around here but I know he does not desire peace, I witnessed his bloodlust too much during the space war to think that. He is not fooling anyway in thinking that he wants peace."

Heero's silent footsteps advanced towards the two sitting figures. "He does not desire peace, he desires the destruction of it. Here read this." Tossing a file on the table towards the both of them. "This is all the information you will need on him. I was sent here to watch him."

Zechs picked the folder up and skimmed through it, stopping every now and then. "Seems you have everything in here, it's even up to date. You really do your homework." Placing the folder down, he gently glided it to in front of Noin so she could read it. "See for yourself. It seems that I need not do any of the work."

Noin looked at the folder her mind classifying the information in her brain and storing it for later use. "So he is here for another reason. But what? Relena told us that he was here for a peace treaty. Why else would he be here?"

Heero leaned against the door watching them. "To make it seem that they wanted peace when in fact they want war. I am going to keep my eyes on him, since it appears he is staying through this party Quatre is having. I guess I am going to it after all, don't tell Relena I am here. She would seek me out and try to get explanations for why I have not been around." He opened the door. "See you at the party." He left them with the file knowing that it would be in good hands, his mind set on getting back to his room before Relena saw him.

--

Trowa left his room feeling refreshed as she thought he had his mind sorted out. "Maybe I should tell her now." The entire day he had spent trying to think of ways to tell her, if he should do it after the party or before. The party was tomorrow evening and his heart was aching with the thought of her not knowing any longer. 'I can't tell her, that much emotion at once would kill her. On top of everything else, maybe after her sight returns, if it returns.' He went into her room and watched her sleep wondering why she looked so pale, yet still as beautiful as ever. That frail body of hers was so serene. He sat down beside her bed, letting his hand rest beside her own.

Catherine rolled over her face turned towards his as she sighed in her sleep. Slowly her hand came to rest on top of his, accidentally and he grabbed it with out knowing what he was doing.

He smiled at her again and leaned forward kissing her softly on her forehead; glad she was asleep because she would wonder why he was acting so sentimental. 'Always, every time I am with her, I always get this way around her. I can't help it, there is something about her that makes me want to protect her and love her. Maybe I really do love her.' He pulled away from her hoping that she did not stir while he was in that position. He sat back down and rested there his eyes slowly closing from lack of sleep.

Catherine opened her eyes wondering when he had gotten in the room. Trowa sat there sleeping soundly in the chair beside her bed, his brow furrowed in sleep. Silently she got up and put her feet on the floor. 'When did he get here?' She asked sitting there and just looking at him. Loving the fact that she could stare at him for hours now and he would not know. 'It's my little secret and I dare not tell. For I love you all too well.' She smirked at her little dorky rhyme, glad that they could not hear her thoughts. 'Guess going out today is a no go since my bodyguard is at his station.' She giggled a little and walked to the bathroom, making sure that if he woke up she looked like she was feeling her way there. As she closed the door behind her she sighed feeling relieved. 'This morning a wolf was staring at me, and now I have an angel watching me as I sleep.' She brushed her hair out, watching the waves in her hair ripple as she ran the brush through it.

Vincent frowned as he saw a young man in the woman's room. 'Seems she has someone close to watch over her. This may be more difficult then I first anticipated it would be.' He faded into the shadows, not wanting the man to see him.

Trowa jumped at a sudden sound, he looked around trying to figure out why he had woken up. Noticing that Catherine was not in her bed he stood up but stopped as he heard her humming in the bathroom. 'Guess she has learned to deal with her blindness. I hope that it is for the better.' He looked around at the small room, noticing all the things that kind of made the mood appear depressing. 'Maybe we should get her a better room.'

--

Wufei glared at the woman that had made him come, he had other things more important then some dance to take care of. "I still don't see why I had to come Onna." He stated, not using her real name to further tee her off.

Sally Poe ignored him, his temper getting on her last nerve. "It was not my idea for you to join me. You just can't stand to be away from me for more then a day. It is not my fault that you don't know what to do while I am away." Setting her bag down, she knocked on the door and walked in as the man opened the door. "I'm not with him." She said leaving Wufei behind her, yelling that she needed to slow down. Sally Poe sighed and turned around. "Look, and I am going to say this slowly so you can get it through that hard headed skull of your's. I am here to get away from you. Now go pester some other woman." Turning on her heals she left him there staring after her, his mouth hanging open.

Wufei glared at back not believing what she had just said. "Fine, far be it from me to impose on you, though you are doing it well enough on your own to Quatre." He held his small bag, which contained his clothing for a few days and the costume he was going to wear to the ball. "I still can't believe that I came along with you." His voice was as stubborn sounding as he was.

Sally just ignored him as she mumbled to herself. "Remind me never to tell you my plans for the week in advance again." She smirked to herself, wondering if anyone else was here. 'Perhaps mister high and mightly can annoy Relena, they seemed to somewhat get along or at least I heard.' Her mind paused as she saw Noin in the hall. "Noin, it has been a while." Dropping her bags she gave her friend a hug. "I guess that answers my question as to who Quatre invited, it seems everyone was. Including Mr. Uptight." She gestured towards Wufei with a tilt of her head.

"You are correct, I think everyone has arrived, Duo, Hilde, Catherine, Trowa, Dorothy, Zechs, Relena, and Heero. As well as you two." She walked along side her friend as they continued down the hall. "So what have you been up to?"

"The usual, keeping an eye on the colonies and trying to make sure the same thing does not happen again. I did not expect to see you here, I thought you would be away with Zechs on Mars, working on the project." They had left Wufei behind complaining about being with two women. "But I guess that should not shock me that you are here, you probably came to get new supplies and decided to stop here on your way there."

"Actually it was Zechs's idea, he thought the distraction a welcome from the day to day projects at the base. A vacation on both our parts. Plus it lets him check on his baby sister with out lettting her know he really is checking up on her. He always watched out for her, even if he did not show it." She smiled remembering Zechs watch his sister on the screen of a tv, before they had ever met. Saying poor girl about her. "Just don't tell him that I told you, it would ruin this hardened exterior he has worked so hard to make for himself."

Sally Poe laughed as they neared the rooms. "Relax, we were soldiers together remember? I can keep a simple thing like a secret, unless it has blackmail written all over it. I would only do that though to his royal pain in the butt, Wufei. So you're safe from being found out." She winked as they sat down and chose to talk instead of walk. "So how is everyone else, I supposed out little princess is chasing after Heero again?"

"Actually, he has requested that she not know he is here. Almost everyone is doing fine, but one person is not so great. Before we arrived a friend of Trowa's, a Catherine Bloom I do believe, was attacked in an alley. Her condition is ok but she lost her sight. Something terrible for someone like her for she relies on her sight to help her preform." Noin shook her head sighing. "Beyond that I have no clue what is wrong, she seems like a normal girl, and the blindness might just be temporary but who knows. Maybe you can check on her, you are one of the few of us that has had medical training. I skipped that class when we were in training remember." Laughing she played with a flower that was in a vase infront of her.

"I remember you skipped it to go spy on a certain general I do believe." Images of a younger Noin hiding behind a building taking secret snap shots of Zechs standing and conversing, or just sitting and drinking his coffee. "I will see what I can do for her, my skills for that might have rusted up a bit but I can try."

"Good, oh and before I forget it seems like two of the gundam pilots have had apperance changes...." As she said that Duo walked past, intent on something.

"Hey Heero.." Sally Poe said and paused as he turned around and was revealed to be Duo. "What happened to you?"

"Hilde, that little sneak, put gum in my hair so I had to cut it." He rolled his eyes as he stood there tapping his foot. Waiting for her responce. You could tell that he was not at all happy repeating this story time and time again, renewing his anger at the woman.

"You do know you could have soaked it in lemon juice and it would have come out fine in the end." Her eyes were full of mirth as she tried not to laugh at his shocked expression.

"WHAT! Oh now she really is going to pay." He stormed off in the direction of Hilde's room. Every intention in his head was evident on his face as blue sparks lit his eyes.

"Oh and about Heero being here, don't tell Relena."

"Promise, now let's see this patient of your's."


	12. Chapter 12 The Strangest Desire

((Sorry it took so long to update I thought I already put this chapter up anyway email me if you like the chapter. (()

Chapter 12 The Strangest Desire

The morning had been very tiring; Dorothy had woken her up at the crack of dawn to dress her with her gown. Even picking out a mask had been a hassle since Catherine wanted only something to cover her face, not something to draw attention. This entire thing was really beginning to bore her, why should she hide behind a mask when she should really be trying to figure out what Trowa felt for her. She knew it was more then just simple feelings, and could tell in the way he looked at her. Since the accident he had been more caring, more compassionate then he had before and Catherine guessed since she could not see him, that he was letting his guard down, for who would be afraid of a harmless blind woman. "Dorothy why don't we just forget about the entire thing?" The dress that Dorothy picked out was beautiful and she loved it, but she felt more like some child playing make-believe in her mother's best gowns.

Dorothy stilled her mouth as the plea came from deep inside all of the fabric. "My dear you do want to remain a stranger to him do you not? To keep him from finding out whom you really are? Everyone is on your side on this, we, I have gone through great lengths to make you look different from the normal you, do you not like the change?" With the flick of the wrist she turned Catherine around to look in the mirror. There in the mirror stood a woman with long straight red hair and sky blue eyes staring at the blonde woman, trying to talk her out of this. "You could always stay in your room, and hear us talk about it, and that Mr. Barton was swept off his feet by some strange woman with black hair, that they eloped together and had kids." Raising one of her forked eyebrows she smirked. "Though I very much doubt that you would be invited to the wedding, seeing as you might steal the groom from the bride."

"Fine I will go through with this...." Though she was against everything and had agreed to this in the first place, she felt that her own being was being drained away from her. The very thing that made her her was disappearing and this new woman was coming forth. 'What if I do all of this and he does not even blink, he just walks right past me and to some other woman, reaching out to her with his gloved hand, asking her to dance.' Her hand fingered the fabric of the dress, nervous about even being asked to dance let alone being rejected. The sudden desire to break the mirror startled her, she did not see herself anymore, only the shell of her being remained. Catherine Bloom would not do this; no she would pin him with her dagger like gaze and tell him exactly what she thought of him for better, or for worse. Then why was she feeling so weak at the knees; at the very idea of confronting him about this turn of events? Why was she hiding behind this mask when it only further hid her feelings from him? The questions haunted her as she turned from the mirror. "Take the mirrors away, if I am to do this I do not want to see what I have become." Shoulders slumped she sighed and let Dorothy continue finishing the dress before someone interrupted them and gave them away.

---

After a full day of Dorothy pricking her and stabbing her she had been released, her hair tied up in a towel to keep anyone from knowing that it was straight instead of the usual way. So far she had yet to see a familiar face and was feeling very confident when she rounded the corner; there stood the very wolf himself. Catherine's stomach lurched at the sight of Vincent, shaking hands with one of the doctors outside her room. Dorothy had told her specifically not to converse with anymore today, that it was better if she not trip up her charade and keep isolated, yet this man was blocking the only doorway to her room. 'I have no other choice, I have to walk by him.' Casually she leaned against the wall and let it guide her towards the opening of her bedroom. Callused hands came onto hers and she bit her lip as she kept from screaming. "Who is there?" She asked faking her blindness just as she had been told to.

Vincent smiled at her though it was wasted. "It is only me my lady, what are you doing out of your room? You are very ill, and need your rest." He guided her to her room his hands still wrapped around hers as if it where some golden goblet with the elixir of life inside. "My aren't we looking lovely today. You must be going to that party Lord Quatre is having?"

Catherine felt ready to vomit, the honey on his lips was too sweet for her taste, and if only she had her knives she would cut off that tongue and give it to someone that deserved it more. "I think not, I can not go and I am blind, not ill, I can go out if I want." She tore her hand away from his, satisfied at his look of rejection.

"A blind woman, as attractive as yourself may tempt some strange man, and he may guide you into some hidden hall and have his way with you. You would be non the wiser." He licked his lips, not mentioning the fact that that was what he had intended to do if she had not pulled her hand away from his. Slowly he let one finger trail down her arm, watching it trail down and make goosebumps on her flesh

"A man like you?" Though her gaze was vacant and could not see anything, her eyes found where he would have been and locked on as she ripped her arm away from his finger, which felt like he were cutting her arm open with just his finger tip. "Though I am blind I can defend myself against the vilest of men." She had meant it as a disgrace, something to make him storm away, but she could see the mirth in his eyes at the jest. He was actually laughing at her.

"You give me too much credit, and yet you hurt my feelings when I was merely trying to be a friendly stranger." He tried to grab for her hand again but once his flesh touched hers, she pulled her hand to her side, backing slowly away.

There it was again, that look of hunger for meat, blood...and war. The same look that had made her fear him to begin with. He kept his eyes on her, and since he figured she could not see, looked her body over, as he would some piece of meat. Catherine shivered as she felt his eyes undress her with his eyes, she reached behind her failing for the door she knew was there. "Good night sir." She stated glad that her room was within reach and she need not act blind for the remainder of the day. Everyone was too busy getting their costumes ready, or getting even with other party members to care what she was doing. Locking the door behind her she let out a sigh of relief. Running to her bathroom she locked that door as well and scrubbed her body down, trying to get rid of that terrible feeling he had left on her skin.

---

Sally Poe smirked as Noin explained the entire thing to her. "Oh so Dorothy has decided to play matchmaker? Strange I would have pictured her as the one that destroys love, not creates it." They were on their way to Catherine's room to discuss the plan. "Well, I can't say I don't approve, the very thought of pulling one over on that pompous ass Wufei is very tempting. It might just wake him up from this "I am right and you are wrong" thought in his head." Smiling she nodded her head. "I should say I am in, you can count on me."

Noin laughed, "You sound like you are on another mission sent to us from the Preventors." The war had faded from her mind but not the people or places she had been to at the time. "Well if you think about it, this would be out last mission, I don't think Zechs will let me out of his sight after this one."

"If he had never let you out of his sight to begin with then you would not be planning to trick him. Am I right?" Sally Poe elbowed her friend, they had worked together for a while, even went to school together. They had been friends for a while. "Something tells me that Zechs does not know about this plan of yours."

"If he did do you think I would be talking about it with you?" Noin watched the servants that Quatre had scurry around the mansion, taking to their tasks. "I am just doing this for a friend but never the less it seems like a good idea. Though our little princess does not know about it yet. Let alone that Heero is here at all." She ran a hand of hers down the back of her head, gently scratching it. "But you never know this could be better for us all in the long run."

"Yeah, well you have me on you side, I have always wanted to get Wufei back for that stubborn streak of his."

"Well now is your chance, just don't over do it. The key is that he is not supposed to be able to tell who you are. Make him wonder." Laughing she put a hand to her mouth. "Just think of the look on his face when he finds out that the woman he was dancing with was you all along."

---

Relena sighed as she left the room, Dorothy had just told her about the plan but she saw no reason for it. They could just do this without her. There was no person here she needed to hide from, other then that Vincent man. "Let them do what they want, I will not stand in their way. I'll just watch from the sidelines, and enjoy the looks on everyone's faces when they realize they have been fooled, my brother's will be the best." She laughed a little as she looked at her light pink dress. 'Pink the one color that I have loved for so long. Something about it right now repulses me.' She let her hand fall that had been reaching towards the soft fabric. 'Strange, I feel that something else is in store for this occasion.' She reached into her bags, pulling out an equally soft material, just a different color. "Much better..." Holding the dress up she looked at the mirror as she held the burgundy red dress to her body, watching the skirt billow out.

---

"No no no, that is all wrong. The candles go in the center of the table." Quatre arranged the flowers and candles the way he liked and told the servants to do the same. 'Wonder where Dorothy is, seems too quiet for her right now.' Things had been going really smoothly for him, everyone had arrived and the party was taking place that evening nothing could go wrong. Despite the fact that an unwelcome visitor was trying to steal the affections of Trowa's main squeeze. Trowa had filled him in when he had caught Vincent staring at Catherine, as a wolf would. "There that is much better." He kind of felt sorry for his dear friend, they had known each other a long time and he knew how Trowa reacted to the very idea of someone taking what he thought was rightfully his. The room seemed extremely quiet and too small as Quatre left to get some fresh air. Everything was going as planed, the party was going to be that evening and everyone, with the exception of Ms Catherine, were going to come. He wished silently that Vincent would leave before the dance began but the way it seemed, the stranger would be there not only for the party but for the days after it as well. 'Guess I know where the term, "unwelcomed guest" comes into play.' The papers for the day had been filed and put in their place, signed and looked over so the rest of the day was his. 'If only I could find something to do.' His smiled a little at the idea of jousting with Dorothy or playing some chess. Her mind always challenged him and he loved a challenge, something to work at and toy with until he understood it and then Dorothy would do something totally out of character and throw his plans out the window. Lately some outer force too focused on it to really pay any attention to him had distracted her. Usually the attention she gave was highly unwanted but he found that with the lost attention he wanted it even more. The satisfaction of knowing she wanted to be near him, yet could not made him laugh inside and laugh he did. "Maybe that woman finally found herself a man to hang on to besides myself." He picked one of the lilies out of the vase outside his room and inhaled its scent. They had been his mother's favorite and therefore anything that his mother had liked he had always wanted to keep nearby, but the scent today did not seem as appealing as it should of. Quatre wanted something spicier, something richer, and something that had a bite to it. He kept the flower with him intending to put it in a vase in his room as he opened the doors, looking down at his papers trying to figure out exactly what was going to go on. The invitations had included not only the pilots and their friends but also his servants as well as some of the civilians that lived in the area. He looked up seeing his room was as he had left it, his attire for the evening hanging from a hook on the wall, his huge, vacant, bed made and cleaned, he could still see where Dorothy had cut the end of it trying to wake him up early and anger him, he had only sent her out and had the comforter refitted, all that was left to show the cut was a small seem at the head of the bed. 'Tonight everything will be perfect,' he thought has he sat down and lay back taking a short nap, his mask for the dance looking down at him from its perch on the hook.

---

"Why am I attending this again?" Heero asked as Duo looked through the tuxes in the closet in his room. Heeo had declined going to the dance, saying he had work to do and needed time to himself but Duo had insisted.

"Why to see that princess of yours, why else do you think?" They had run into each other again and Heero had yet to escape from under his gaze. "Come on you will be wearing a mask the entire time, she will not recognize you remember you have blonde hair now. She may even think you are Quatre, though with that stern mouth of yours that never smiles I highly doubt that. I still can't believe you even thought of staying here in the mansion rather then going to the dance hall, everyone will be there. Though you are probably trying to avoid everyone am I right?" He smiled weakly as he pulled out a tux which had been left in the room just in case someone did not bring their own. "Here you go buddy, one penguin suit to go, looks about your size too." He dropped the suit in Heero's arms waiting for it to fall to the ground. "What no, "I have no time for this" mumbo jumbo?" He asked raising an eyebrow at the silent soldier.

The soldier looked up at him. "After this mission I am no more, I have all the time in the world, whether I like it or not." Heero looked down at the suit, wishing again he had not shown up or been seen by anyone, least of all by Duo. "Next time you have the choice to either let me die or save me, let me die." His voice was stern as he stood up, the suit in his arms as well as shoes they had found earlier.

Duo watched him leave sighing. "There goes the most uptight man I have ever seen. Oh well, after tonight everything will be better and he will have that little princess cooing at him." Duo stuck his tongue out in disgust thinking of them doing that. "He always did do that to me, make me sick to my stomach that is." He groaned again as he thought about when they had first met and when he had set his leg back in place.

---


	13. Chapter 13 Flight of Fancy

Chapter 13: Flights of Fancy

Catherine had been standing in front of the mirror for two hours; the dress was a deep green, the same shade as his eyes, which was the only reason she had agreed to wear it. The back was extremely low cut, which was something she did not notice until after Dorothy had put it on her. The front was low as well though not as low as the back and had no sleeves. She had purchased some elbow length cream colored gloves, hiding her scared hands, from dagger throwing practice, so no one would see them. Trowa knew every scar on her and every bruise; her hands would give her away if anything else. Dorothy had also made her buy a pair of slippers that looked to break the minute someone put their foot in them. 'Glass, why had it been glass?' Her mind then thought of the classic story of Cinderella. 'Maybe my prince will find the shoe and give it back to me.' Catherine sighed as she wrapped her gloved hands around each other blushing a little as she picture Trowa on a white horse, looking for his mysterious lover. That thought made her frown. 'He will be looking for a woman of fantasy, someone that does not exist.' With that she grabbed her shoes and placed them on her feet, then her mask as well. The mask had been found under the dress that morning and it had been the only thing besides the gloves she had actually enjoyed. "Glad I made Trowa leave earlier." She said as she put the mask on her face and left the room, intending to head straight for Dorothy's room and then to the ball from there. 'I just hope Vincent is not around for too long.' Her skin crawled at the very thought of him.

---

"What to wear... what to wear. I have nothing to wear that will draw his attention to me." Dorothy was leaning over in her huge closet, throwing tons of clothing behind her onto the floor. There was every kind of dress there, lying on the ground like forgotten waste, as Dorothy held up a black slip of a thing smiling with glee. "But maybe I do." Holding it up against her body she looked in the mirror and smiled finally satisfied with it. "There, now if this does not get his attention nothing will." Looking up she spotted a familiar red head walk in the door. "Well there you are, I am glad you are up to this. It will take a lot of acting on your part to pull this off but I have faith in you. I arranged for your dress to be brought to your room," Turning towards her she smiled and held the black dress up to her body. "What do you think? I am sure this one will draw his attention for sure."

"Actually, I really think that is a terrible dress, not the right sort of attention you want for the evening." Her voice was calm as she made that statement. "You want something he will not expect, something that will knock him off this feet and make him drop his guard." Without permission she turned towards all the dresses on the bed, floor and chairs in the huge room. Then went to the closet, and pulled out a dress that had not even been removed from its dust cover yet. "What about this one? Why have you not worn it yet?"

"Because it does not suit me, and….You think that that would make him actually notice me?" The smile on her face showed it all. "I guess I was bound to wear that thing at some point or other." Tentatively her fingers played with the white lace sleeves, designs of flowers and feathers cleverly woven into it. The bodice was made out of the same design but in the center rested a crest of lavender flowers, pearls hidden under the fabric petals. "This shall do nicely. I must admit, Mother's gown has gathered a lot of dues over the years but it is good to know I saved it for an actual purpose." The bag around the dress was pulled off and you could smell the old perfume on it still. "Well you are the one that knows what to do now, tell me how to surprise him." She puckered her lips mimicking a kiss on the cheek and smiled at her friend. "I must admit that dress looks a lot better then I thought it would. Now if you will just wait outside I will be ready momentarily." Dorothy waited for her to finish showing her how to make her make up look perfect, enough to dazzle him yet keep him guessing and then showed her out. "I can do the rest, trust me."

Catherine sat outside, fully dressed and hidden from anyone that would know who she was. The halls where quiet except for some strangers walking towards the ballroom. 'I just hope I don't regret this later on.' Taking off one of her gloves she traced a scar on her palm. She had gotten it while practicing, and he had caught her, without her permission he had cleaned the wound and bandaged it, as if it was very important. Her skin had tingled and she had held her breath, wishing she could get this attention from him more often. The circus life had drawn her attention since her parents had died, but slowly she was losing her balance, her body was threatening to fall over the edge and leave her behind while she coped. Trowa was her balancing rod in which to make it across that thin thread of reality that kept her going on. For that reason and that reason alone she had kept her feelings secret, knowing that if she told him it could sever the one tie she had to a life outside performing and she would be just some woman with her knives. 'I am just hopeless.' Laughing some she did not hear the footsteps coming up beside her, or the familiar chuckle of a man.

"Well glad to see that someone is enjoying themselves." Trowa smiled at the woman as he stood in front of her, seeing the deep green gown she wore, wishing that mask on her was not there. "I guess you are one of the people that Quatre invited from the city?" His eyes followed her curve, silently taking in the slim figure she hid under her gown. Those hands so dainty, yet they looked so out of place in those silk gloves. Momentarily he caught her eyes, a familiar shade of sky blue that looked into his, reading his very thoughts. Her hair was cascade in a red waterfall over her pale shoulder that hinted at a tan line. "You look so familiar, have we met before?" He was caught off guard when he saw fear in her eyes, quickly covered in shock and then flattery.

"I do not believe so, good sir, for I would remember someone as memorable as you." Cathy bowed her head, wishing she was in her safe little room, or on the balancing act in the circus rather then facing him in the so called dress that had been fitted to her. Even though she wore petticoats, and the dress, plus under garments she felt revealed and unsafe in those piercing green eyes of his, like he knew exactly who she was. Absently she put a hand to her face, exhaling a sigh of relief that the mask was still there, keeping her secret from the man she had grown to love. 'Why am I so childish, I should just tell him what I feel.' Fingers clasped tightly at the edge of her mask she went to pull it off, though she chickened out the last instant as Noin came around the corner. Everything was revolved around her tricking Trowa into letting his guard down, she could not spoil the fun before the party had begun.

"There you are, I have been looking everywhere for you…little sister." She came beside Cathy, calmly taking her hand away from her mask. "Must not reveal the secret otherwise no one will want to see it later." She winked at Cathy and then smiled. "Thank you for finding her for me, Trowa. This is…May." Turning her gaze to Cathy she smiled. "Say hello May." Adverting her eyes, she whispered. "Kind of shy though, I thought this would be a good experience for her to get out and make new friends. She is about your age though, well maybe a year older. Well I must run along then, I have to find Zechs and convince him to actually dress up for this occasion, you two be nice." With that she winked and gave a gentle push, which sent Cathy flying forward crying out a little as she tripped over the dress.

Trowa reached out, his strong arms embracing her for the impact of the floor that he knew was to come. Opening his eyes he looked down, seeing the red head clutch at his shirt front, face hidden under her straight hair. "Are you ok May?" For a moment there was no reply as he looked down at her, one hand going to caress an exposed shoulder. 'Such soft skin...' His mind taunted him, wishing that he knew this vixen that pulled him from his usual cool demeanor. He brushed it off, reluctantly taking his hand away from her soft, exquisite shoulder to put his hand under her chin and force her to look at him. Once he looked her in the face his breath caught, for in those eyes of her's was fear, fear of something he knew not what. Taking in a sharp breath he stared back at her, eyes showing true comfort, or trying to. Trowa sighed, wishing he knew what to say, his voice currently retreating from its duty. Her eyes they captivated his very being, where else had he seen eyes like that. Eyes that looked so trusting and understanding. They looked as though they needed to be protected and yet that it was too late to protect the precious gift within, the gift of innocence.

"I am so sorry," Franticly Cathy got up, her face crimson beneath the mask that hid her features so well. 'Thank the heavens that my masquerade is still here.' "I must leave you, Dorothy are you finished yet?" She called her voice very weak from trying to pretend she was someone she was not in front of him. Cool Cathy was what the people at the circus called her, behind her back when she was throwing her daggers. Though she did share herself more openly then Trowa did, she did keep her pain of seperation far from them. The pain of losing her parents and little brother, afraid that once she realized what her feelings were truly that he would too disappear and leave her to mend herself back together. Just like before with her family. "Dorothy..."

Trowa withdrew his hand away from her face, wishing his will to fight was here right now instead of nothing at all. Something to make him take her mask and reveal herself to him. The curve of her mouth as she looked at him and the eyes, those eyes had looked at him, always with that same look of concern, mixed with understanding. "Then I will let you go then, May." He stood up, and brushed himself off as he left, trying to shake the feeling that he knew those eyes, and the notion in his head that he wanted to taste those lips of her's. 'First Cathy and now this woman, what is wrong with me?' His body was tense, afraid of something yet not knowing what it was. Never before had he felt so compelled to turn and confront the woman, make her explain why he was feeling this way about someone he had just met, and why he was developing feelings for Cathy. 'But she can not explain it, only I can, and that will not be for a while before my mind actually lets me sort through it.'

---

Dorothy came out dressed in the white gown with her hair pulled back in an elegant bun. "I still think my dress was better, and I refuse to wear those gloves." Her hand waved towards the pair of evening gloves that lay abandoned on her bed. "Well then let's go."

Cathy nodded her head, afraid to tell her that Trowa had already seen her. "I am still unsure of this, I mean why don't I just go back to my room and just think about the party?" Her body betrayed her and kept walking towards the ballroom. "Dorothy I really don't think I should be going." A firm hand wrapped around her wrist and she looked up, seeing the determined look in her eyes.

"And I went through all this trouble to make sure he would not know who you are?" Her gaze was sorrowful as she sighed. "I guess I wasted my time then straightening your hair, and finding that elixer." Slowly she took her hand away and withdrew a small vile. "And I guess I wasted my time finding the permanent way to keep your sight." Dorothy began to toss the vile. "I guess you will not be needing this anymore."

"You wouldn't." Her eyes watched the vile as it was waved in front of her, knowing it was her cure to the blindness. "Dorothy, give it to me." She reached forward trying to grasp the vile but it was pulled out of her reach.

"Not until after the ball, this is for the best I promise, if you did not go you would regret it later and hate yourself." The wind picked up from the open windows and she placed the vile in her purse. "Now go and have some fun Cathy, I'll make sure the cure does not disappear.

Cathy sighed and left Dorothy wishing she was in her room for the second time that day. 'Curse this stupid affliction.'

The ball started quietly as everyone entered the room, soft music playing in the background as men and women looked at each other. The women had smug looks on their face's knowing that the men knew not who was who. Hilde had arrived earlier then Duo, her face hidden behind her mask. Sally Po had gotten there later, hair combed out in long riveting waves framing her face. Cathy looked at everyone, not exactly knowing herself who was who. 'This is going to be a disaster...' She sighed sipping at her punch, which Quatre guarded careful not to let a certain pilot near it. Dorothy had gone off to find Quatre, to see if she had truly captivated his attention in this attire for the evening.

Relena entered the room, her hair curled into billowing blonde tresses, pooled at the back of her head. Her bangs hid the top of her mask which matched her burgundy dress. 'I needed this break from society, I have been working to hard.' Her eyes scanned the area noting that a certain man was not present. 'I know he is not here, he is never around, though I feel his eyes on me.' She shivered feeling those very same eyes on her yet again and turned, her eyes catching a stranger. His features were dark and his eyes blue but his hair was the brightest blonde as he stared at her, daring her to look away first. She did and then cast a sideways glance at him wondering who he was exactly. Inhaling a stifled gasp of air she shook her head trying to get rid of the feeling that she knew the blonde stranger. 'Relax he may just be some total stranger invited to fill up the room. Her eyes caught those of a friend that she recognized and she walked forward smiling a bit as she began to calm down. "I was wondering when you would show up dear brother." The long hair had given him away and he turned around looking down at his little sister.

Eyes darted down to her as Zechs looked at Relena. "It has been a while Relena." His voice was low and a whisper as he scanned the crowd wondering when it would be over with.

"I see they forced you to come, it is not like you to join a meeting of society." Absentmindedly she traced her hand over her wine glass watching everyone dance. "Would you happen to know who that blonde man is standing there, I keep catching him staring at me and it is quiet annoying." The silence said it all and she sighed leaving him to his evening as she confronted the stranger. "Look, I don't know who you think you are but you have some nerve to ogle me since I walked into the room." Relena put a hand to her temple trying to get rid of the headache she was getting.

"I am no one to concern yourself with." Heero said as he walked past her, and tried his best to keep her from recognizing his voice. "I am a world leader much like yourself, just making sure that my prized country does not fall under bad decisions made by bad ambassadors." His eyes followed his target around the room, watching every move Vincent made, every smile he would shoot to a blushing female that would smile in return but then when he left they would frown in disgust. "So enjoy your party Miss Relena…." Heero walked away and continued to keep an eye on both her and Vincent, making sure that they knew nothing of who he was.

--

Cathy sighed as she sipped her wine and watched the people dance, her feet were hurting from standing and she sat down, letting the gown pool at her feet. Even Dorothy had managed to snag Quatre's attention in her evening attire and she smiled, glad that she had helped her with that. "I feel like I am dressed in my mother's old gowns, pretending to be a lady." She again took off her glove watching the scars on her palm as she traced them with a gloved finger.


	14. Chapter 14 It all comes crumbling down

(( ok i lied i just cleaned off my old computer and found my original chapter 14 that i had finished before it is much better so i replaced it sorry ))

Chapter 14 When it all comes crumbling down

The ball was going quiet well, despite a few bad spells where the tranquility of the ball had been disturbed. On numerous occasions Cathy caught the look of boredom come across Trowa's face but she was reluctant to go to him. Too afraid that he would know it was her, and not one of Noin's relatives. 'Come on, you have faced hundreds of tasks but why does this one seem so much harder then trying to balance on the edge of reason.' She shook her head sighing and silently glad that she had this time to herself. Trowa always seemed so tense when she was around, like holding up some iron wall to keep her away. His eyes held some warmth, but that small fragment of humanity was locked away by cold bars of reality, keeping the curious at bay and out of reach. Again she sipped her drink in her gloved hand and yet again she denied someone her hand in a waltz. 'I do not feel much for dancing at this time.' She lied knowing fully well that if he were to ask her she would gladly except. Ever since she was a child, Cathy had been alone and he had shown her what having someone there for you actually felt like, and she liked it. Liked the feeling of having someone to care and worry about, someone to protect and nurture, he had given that small thing to her and she did not know how to repay him. Maybe breaking away that cold shell would let him see exactly what she felt, if not giving him the chance to love another in return and be happy.

"How are you enjoying the evening?" The cool voice was like a dagger cutting any warmth she had had inside of her away. "I do not believe I have had the pleasure of knowing your name." Those lips curled in a smile like Satan as he studied the woman before him. Eyes went over her form, taking into respect the well curved hips that were hidden under the dress, which showed off her cream shoulders. "That is quiet a stunning dress you have there." Vincent's eyes traveled over her form yet again wondering why she so drew his attention. Everyone else seemed so much more appealing then her, more flesh for the eye to appeal to, more curves to wrap your arms around. Perhaps it was the simple fact that she seemed the only one that denied him attention openly. All the others had simply tolerated him and then moved on glad that he was away but she simply ignored him.

Her hands stilled as she heard the cool voice interrupted her warm thoughts. "I was enjoying myself, now if you will excuse me." Cathy stood up making sure her mask was firmly in place as she walked past him but paused, something had held her back. A firm hold on her arm had her fixed in place.

"You remind me of someone. Maybe it was that woman in town…" He trailed off trying to think of what her crimson locks and sky blue eyes reminded him of. "Would you have this dance with me?" He asked bowing over her hand as a gentleman would but eyes of a hungry tiger looked at her hand. "I would love it if you would."

Something compelled her to accept but then the minute she nodded her head and sighed she regretted it. Vincent's arms wrapped around her like she was a piece of gold, keeping her at his side. "No I better not I was feeling sick earlier sir and I would hate to ruin that expensive suit of yours." She lied as she tried to pull herself out of his arms but he knew better and smiled.

"I know who you remind me of, you remind me of that girl that is blind, but I know you can not be her. She can not see. Or is it you Cathy, hiding under that mask with different locks." They had danced away from the crowded ball and onto a balcony as he questioned her. "You know what reminded me of who you are? It was the thrashing, the high pitched voice that I heard before. And do you know where I heard it before?" Vincent wet his lips as he smiled his mouth at her ear as he said three words that said it all. "I did it." Simply stated. "I am the reason she was in there in the first place, though it was a tragic accent. It was mostly for fun anyway, well mine to be exact. It seems she was not having a grand old time with me. Maybe next time…" Vincent snickered and watched her with hungry eyes. "Shall I tell you how I did it? Why I choose her and not anyone else?" Though they were silent words they cut through her mask of innocence and the true horror could be seen on her blue eyes.

"I… I… I must be going my cousin is looking for me." Cathy tried to pull herself away from him, even as she felt his hot breath on her neck and could feel the smile that lingered in his hideous eyes.

"It was her eyes, the very same that made me commit that act of sin, but if it was really a sin then why did I enjoy it so very much?" His face was a mere foot from her own as he read her eyes. "And they are the very same that made me want to come and kidnap you from the rest of the party, or did you not notice that we are alone out here?" Vincent's grip tightened on her arm pulling her closer. "They say never mix business with pleasure, but from my experience, it has made the deal somewhat sweeter. It was just a little harmless fun, I never knew I would run into her again, and to be blind, that makes it all the better. Maybe pleasure and business do go together, right Cathy?"

Finally after what seemed an eternity she was able to pull her grasp free of his, and backed away panting as she relived the entire scene from before. The sound of her clothes being ripped, of pain all over her body and then of total darkness. Cathy turned away from him and fled not caring if she did cause a scene she had to get away, away from those eyes that seemed to steal her very soul, her very innocence. Everyone was still dancing even if she was trying to disappear, as her world fell apart. 'Why is this happening…?' She questioned the air around her as she left the crowded ballroom and tore off her mask and gloves, tossing them aside as she hugged herself and leaned against the wall whimpering silently and trying to be quiet. 'What did I do?' Shaking she headed towards her room and took the dress off throwing it in a good hiding place as she collapsed on the bed, naked, hugging a pillow and crying into it, make-up smudges coming onto the soft fabric. "Maybe if I go to sleep I will wake up and this will have all been a terrible nightmare." She curled up under the blanket covering her entire body and cried herself to sleep.

--

Trowa yawned, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, even if Duo could not figure out where Hilde was. Which it was easy to tell, just look for the one with the evil glare and you could tell. He had grown quiet bored of this affair and was about ready to leave when he saw the woman from before, except this time she seemed distressed, more anxious to get out of there then he was. Silently he followed her watching her slumped against the wall hugging herself and sobbing. She had been off with that Vincent fellow before, perhaps he did something. Trowa froze as he saw her enter Catherine's room. 'Catherine??!' He began to see the similarities between the two even if he had not seen them before. When he looked back again she was in bed crying and he almost went to her, compelled to at least comfort her to some degree. 'Maybe if I wait for a little while she will not think I knew where she was.' Silently he waited for a choice moment and when it came he moved forward, his footsteps as soundless as a cat's paw against a marble floor. "It does not befit you to be crying." Trowa stepped into the room coming to stand beside her bed.

Catherine stilled her body, feeling his presence around her. "What makes you think I was crying?" She kept her face turned towards the pillow willing her vision to go away just then so she would not have to see the look in his green eyes. "Why are you here? You should be enjoying the ball with everyone else." Cathy coughed a little feeling a little better.

"I came to see how you were doing, but I see you do not want my attentions I guess I will leave." He turned to go but a dainty hand held onto his wrist and blind eyes looked in his direction pleading him to stay. "I will stay." He smiled at her and sat beside her on her bed. Cathy put her head in his lap and he quietly ran his fingers through her hair. "Shhh…. It will be ok you will have your sight back in no time." Trowa hummed to her silently trying to sooth her. "You are so tense, what has made you so stressed, my friend." His hands strayed to her shoulder gently rubbing it and kneading it with his palm.

"I…. I was just remembering something… something terrible." She wrapped her arms around his waist her face relaxing and she sighed. "But when you are here I feel safe." Her blanket fell a little revealing her nude back, her hair over one shoulder. "Thank you, Trowa for watching out for me, I sometimes feel you are the older one between the two of us." Cathy arched her back like a cat and Trowa's hand stilled.

'She does not have any clothes on.' His eyes raked across her back marveling at its perfection and flawlessness. Gently his hands caressed her back, barely touching her skin but every place he touched her seemed to set off his senses. 'Why does she affect me so much?' He leaned over, having no clue what he was doing, his lips pressed to her shoulder, kissing her clean skin and smelling her faint perfume that she insisted on wearing. "What is happening to me, Cathy?" He asked that silently stilling his movements and letting his hands massage the base of her neck, long fingers running through her hair. Trowa sighed against her back wishing she were facing him.

Cathy moaned and tightened her back, not ready for these advances. "Trowa what are you doing to me?" She arched her neck her hair falling to her back. 'This can't be happening, I'm dreaming.' She rolled over her blanket coving her chest as she stared at Trowa and put her hands on either side of his face looking into his green eyes. "I'm dreaming right? This is some sad attempt at redeeming myself right?" She closed her eyes and stretched her arms, weary from crying and running. Opening her eyes she still saw Trowa staring at her, something different in his eyes.


	15. Chapter 15 Sweet Mistaken Bliss

Chapter 15 Sweet Bliss Mistaken

Trowa took a deep breath his heart beat racing in his chest. "Cathy...?" There was a pleading in his voice something that he had never heard before. He laied one hand on Cathy's cheek, his eyes searching her own sightless ones. 'What do you do to me Cathy?' His mind was spinning out of control as his body tried to react to the nearness of the beauty in his lap. "I don't know what has come over me Cathy, I can't control my reactions." He leaned down and brushed his lips gently across her own, catching her gasp at his touch. His forehead brushed her own as he leaned into her exhaling his held breath. "What have we done Cathy?" Trowa closed his eyes wondering when the first slap would come and how bad it would hurt.

Cathy stiffened as his lips carressed her own, in shock and bliss as their first kiss exceeded her expectations, his lips tasting of wine. 'Please let this be a dream...'She closed her eyes as her hand came up to carress his face, small tears of joy trailing down her cheeks. "Trowa..." Her arms wrapped around him and she surrendered to his carresses of affection.

Vincent smiled as he watched Cathy leave the tall young man behind her, 'Another lamb for the slaughter...' His eyes gazed around the room looking for some poor innocent to torture. Feeling a hard glare burning into his neck he turned around and caught the glance of a blonde male staring intently at him. "What a lovely evening it is wouldn't you agree?" Slightly waving a hand as a gesture of friendship he turned his once friendly face casting shadows around his eyes. 'What a nosey youngster.' He stalked away.

Heero continued to glare at the tall dangerous man as he left. He was growing tired of this affair several ladies had tried to get his attention but none of them had interested him. He only had eyes for two tonight, Vincent, and a certain blonde that was eyeing him from across the room. 'Poor Relena does not even know who is under the mask.' He smirked to himself sipping at the light wine he had recieved earlier, while the others were trying to keep Duo away from spiking the weaker drinks. His eyes followed Vincent around the room making note of the movements he cast and the expressions he portrayed. 'To have a lion amoung so many sheep...what a troublesome affair. ' Downing his wine he tossed the glass to the side, tailing the enemy silently. 'He has to have it with him, maybe in his room...' Heero turned to investigate the area but bumped into a certain blonde that had been watching him earlier.

Relena watched the stranger glide silently among the crowd, she had noticed that he had been watching her quite frequently through the evening and she had decided to confront him about it. "Sir, if you would care for a dance?" She offered her hand to the stranger smilling as she waited for a responce. 'I have caught you...Heero Yuy, he would never accept my hand in a dance.' Saddened by this she faultered a small bit in her smile but regained her composure in time to confront him.

Heero froze as she stood before him her hand out stretched awaiting his response. "Very well, ma'am." He gently held her hand and led her to the floor, silently cursing his lost time in Vincent's room. 'If I had said no she would have known it was me, with this I can keep my presence unknown a bit longer." His dark eyes watched her surprised ones as he led her to the dance floor.

Relena was in shock as she was escorted to the floor her mind going numb. 'He would never do this, at least not willingly.' "Thank you it has been some time since I have danced with a willing participate." Smiling she let him lead her away enjoying the dance with the handsome stranger.

Cathy opened her eyes looking up at Trowa as their lips parted. "I don't know if this is such a good idea...Should I really get this attached to my target?" She smiled a little bitting her lip as she watched his reaction. "I'm so stupid Trowa, I let my pride get the better of me." Looking away she got up her blanket wrapped around her and she sighed. "All because I did not want you knowing I was getting weak. I can see now Trowa, you don't have to feel obligated to take care of me anymore. I can take care of things myself."

"Like you took care of them in the alley? Like you took care of them during the acts? Your idea of taking care of things is making things worse Catherine." His eyes looked like daggers as he watched her tense up. Sighing he relaxed a little. "What do you do to me Cathy? I find myself thinking of your health when I should be thinking of the next mission. I catch myself watching you at the circus, as you hide your illness from others. Admit you need me..." Silently he smiled at her a little his fingers going to his lips as he carressed where her lips had been but a sweet moment ago. "Or is it I who should admit to needing you?" He leaned forward placing a small kiss on her forehead, his breathing uncertain as he reached forward to move her hair from her face.

Cathy leaned into his kiss letting his shaky hand carress her hair. "Why don't you admit it first and then we can go from there?" She whispered against his neck closing her eyes and enjoying his warmth. "And the alley would have never happened if not for that disgusting slime of a man Vincent." She tensed a little but relaxed as Trowa rubbed her shoulder.

"You mean it was him in the alley? He was the one that did that to you?" His eyes widened as he realized who the culprit was. "You are sure of this?" Trowa looked around to make sure the said person was not around. Now that he thought of it he did notice that Vincent showed a strange interest in Cathy eyeing her when he thought no one was looking. "I have to go tell everyone else you stay here and keep your door locked don't let anyone in ok? We have several people here that he could easily do that to. I have to make sure there are no others that he can hurt like he hurt you." He kissed her passionately again and ran out the door hunting Vincent as he went

Vincent watched as Trowa left Cathy's room and smiled to himself. 'So the shepard has left the sheep now has he." He downed the last of his wine as he headed towards her room. 'What better fun to be had then with a blind girl depressed from missing a party. I just hope I don't break her before the little shepard boy gets back.'

((sorry this took so long to update and it is kind of short but i kind of got stumped anyway tell me what you think and I dont remember if Dorothy gave Cathy the perm potion for her eyes to be fixed or not or if Vincent even knew it was her that he was dancing with))


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